53-y-o man freed of rape, assault charges in St Catherine court
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A 53-year-old man was freed of rape and assault charges in the St Catherine Circuit Court on Monday after a jury returned a unanimous verdict of not guilty.
Presiding High Court Judge Justice Yvonne Brown then told the man he was free.
The trial, which started on September 21, saw the man answering two counts of rape, two counts of forcible abduction and three counts of assault occasioning bodily harm.
The forcible abduction charges were set aside by the Crown, and the rape and assault charges were put to the jury.
The jury of four women and two men retired for almost two hours and returned the verdict.
The complainant expressed disbelief about the verdict.
It was alleged that the man sexually assaulted the complainant by using force.
He was also accused of physically assaulting her on three occasions.
The court heard that the alleged offences took place between October 2018 and December 2020.
The matter was reported to the Centre for Investigation of Sexual Offences and Child Abuse, which led to his arrest and subsequent charge.
Attorneys-at-law Jon Paul Hamilton and Earl Hamilton represented the man.
- Rasbert Turner
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