Penal teen put on bond for sex with minor

A High Court judge lamented yesterday that the behaviour exhibited by a Penal teenager who paid a 12-year-old girl $70 to have sex with him was mirrored by adults. Justice Paula Mae-Weekes deemed the case “unfortunate,” adding that she wanted to give the teenager an opportunity to put his life back on track, as she placed the teenager on a bond of $20,000 to keep the peace for two years. She warned the first-time offender, however, that she would not be as lenient if he came back before her. “Walking the borderline excuse of youth will not help you another time,” the judge cautioned. She also ordered him to report every fortnight at the Siparia Probation Office for counselling.

The boy, now 16 years old, had pleaded guilty two weeks ago in the First Criminal Assizes to two counts of having sex with a female under 14 years old. A probation officer’s report revealed that the teen had little domestic discipline, and after irregularly attending school, left at age 13. It was at that age the offences were committed on February 11, 2001. State prosecutor Mauricia Joseph told the court that the offences were committed at the girl’s house while she was babysitting her younger brother and her parents were at work in their garden.

The first offence was committed on February 11, 2001, at around 10 am, when he offered her $50 to have sex with him, to which the girl agreed. The girl distracted her younger brother as she and the accused went into her parents’ bedroom and had sex. Then, on April 28, 2001, the accused returned to the girl’s house, and she agreed to have sex with him for $20. The victim’s parents learnt sometime later of the offences, and took the girl to the Penal Police Station and made a report to WPC Blackman. The accused was later arrested and charged with the offences.