From the Courts
August 19, 2011

Father and son charged with rape, incest and carnal knowledge

Charges of incest and carnal knowledge were this week brought against a man and his son.{{more}}

With over 155 counts of rape, incest and carnal knowledge to be read out, Senior Magistrate Donald Browne had to adjourn the sitting of the Kingstown Magistrate’s Court last Friday, having read only half of the charges laid against a man from the Leeward side of the island.

Detective Corporal Wilma Black of the Major Crimes Unit may have created Vincentian history by arresting and charging one person at the same time with so many charges.

When he was brought to the Magistrate’s Court on Friday, August 12, the magistrate took over 25 minutes just to sign all the charge sheets.

The man, in his forties, is alleged to have committed the acts with his four daughters between 2007 and 2011. Some of the dates read out indicate that on many occasions, the man is alleged to have had sex with more than one daughter on the same day.

The sexual encounters are alleged to have started when one of the girls was only 10 years old.

Decked in a red T-shirt, short pants and a white and yellow sneakers, the accused man sat quietly in the dock, placed his right hand on his hips and his left hand tucked under his chin, and looked at both magistrate and the court clerk as they read the charges to him.

SEARCHLIGHT understands that some of these acts are alleged to have taken place in the mountains, on the beach, and at their home.

The matter was called back up on Monday, August 15, but was again adjourned to today, Friday, August 19 for the remainder of the charges to be read.

The man’s son was also slapped with four charges. He appeared at the Kingstown Magistrate’s Court last Monday and was was not allowed to plea to two counts of carnal knowledge and two counts of incest on one of his sisters.

The son was granted bail in the sum of $8,000 with one surety.(KW)