June 18, 2025
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By Alric Lindsay

A man appeared in the Summary Court today, June 17, 2025, facing three allegations of inviting a child to participate in sexual activity, two allegations of indecent assault and one allegation of abuse of a position of trust. He was bailed to return to court on June 19, 2025.

Bail conditions

Regarding bail conditions, the Chief Magistrate ordered that the man must:

*Not have contact directly or indirectly with the victim or the victim’s family (no messages, no social media contacts, nothing at all)

*Reside at the address given in court

*Report to the Bodden Town police station on Fridays between 9 am and 6 pm

*Not have any unsupervised contact with any minors under the age of 18 years (if he is around any children, he is supposed to have an adult present)

Reporting restrictions

To protect the identity of the child, the Chief Magistrate ordered that nothing shall be published that could directly or indirectly identify the child.

Note to readers

This article pertains to allegations and does not imply guilt. The final determination will be made by the court after evaluating all evidence during the legal process.

Inviting a child to participate in a sexual activity is covered by section 228K of the Penal Code. This states:

Where a person, being eighteen years or older, invites a child under the age of sixteen years to engage in any touching or other behaviour, that touching or behaviour being an activity that is sexual in nature that person commits an offence and is liable on — (a) summary conviction; or (b) conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term of twelve years.

Abuse of position of trust is covered by section 228L of the Penal Code. This states:

(1) Where a person, being eighteen years or older who, in relation to a child under the age of sixteen years, is in a position of trust — (a) engages in any sexual communication with that child; (b) engages with that child in an activity that is sexual in nature ; (c) intentionally causes another person to engage with that child in an activity that is sexual in nature; (d) causes that child to watch any person engaging in an activity that is sexual in nature, or to look at an image of any person engaging in an activity that is sexual in nature; or (e) engages in an activity that is sexual in nature in the presence of that child or knowingly engages in such activity believing that that child is aware or should be aware, that that person is engaging in such activity, that person commits an offence.

(2) A person who contravenes subsection (1) is liable on —

(a) summary conviction; or (b) conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term of twelve years.

(3) Notwithstanding sections 6(2) and 8 of the Criminal Procedure Code (2021 Revision), the court of summary jurisdiction or the Grand Court before which the individual pleads guilty or is convicted, shall — (a) in a case where the individual pleads guilty, impose a sentence of imprisonment for a term of at least five years; or (b) in any other case, impose a sentence of imprisonment for a term of at least seven years, unless the relevant court is of the opinion that there are exceptional circumstances relating to the offence or to the offender which justify its not doing so; and such exceptional circumstances shall be stated by the relevant court.

(4) For the purposes of this section a “position of trust” in relation to a child includes any position which involves — (a) a family relationship with the child; (b) caring for, training, supervising or being in charge of that child; or (c) any other similar special relationship with the child.

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