The Tribune

By LAMECH JOHNSON

Tribune Staff Reporter

ljohnson@tribunemedia.net

A man was remanded to prison without bail yesterday after being charged in connection with the alleged sexual assault of a tourist on an island less than a mile from Paradise Island.

Kevin Romer, 29, of Melvern Road stood before Chief Magistrate Joyann Ferguson-Pratt facing a single charge of rape. He is alleged to have had non-consensual sexual intercourse with a 24-year-old woman on Athol Island sometime around 5pm on Saturday, January 2.

Romer, alias JoJo, was told by the chief magistrate that he was not required to enter a plea for the offence.

“It is a matter which you will enter your plea in Supreme Court,” the chief magistrate added.

The transfer of the case from Magistrate’s Court to the Supreme Court will occur at Romer’s next court appearance on February 24.

“This is a matter for which this court cannot even consider bail. Therefore you are remanded to prison,” the judge told Romer.

He was remanded to the Department of Correctional Services to await trial, but has the right to apply for pre-trial release from the Supreme Court.

The accused has retained lawyer Ian Cargill to represent him at his trial where 16 witnesses are expected to testify.

A person convicted of rape in the Supreme Court faces up to life imprisonment according to Section 6(A) the Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Act under which the accused was charged.