Karine Gagne at a previous court appearance.
By LAMECH JOHNSON
Tribune Staff Reporter
ljohnson@tribunemedia.net
A FRENCH-Canadian woman was remanded to prison yesterday after she was charged in connection with the alleged sexual assault of a minor.
Karine Gagne, 23, of Quebec, Canada appeared before Chief Magistrate Joyann Ferguson-Pratt facing a charge of unlawful sexual intercourse concerning an alleged incident on January 5 at Great Sturrup Cay with a 15-year-old boy who cannot legally give consent to have sexual intercourse.
The arraignment required the aid of an interpreter as Gagne reportedly did not speak English.
Gagne was charged under Section 11(1)(a) of the Sexual Offences Act, Chapter 99 which reads: “Any person who has unlawful sexual intercourse with any person being of or above 14 years of age and under 16 years of age, whether with or without the consent of the person with whom he had unlawful sexual intercourse is guilty of an offence and liable to imprisonment for life.”
The accused was told that she would not be allowed to enter a plea until she is formally arraigned before a judge of the Supreme Court when the matter is forwarded to the higher court through the presentation of a voluntary bill of indictment.
“This is a matter I don’t have the jurisdiction to consider bail and so I’m going to have to remand you into custody at the corrections facility,” the chief magistrate said.
Gagne is to return to Magistrate’s Court on Friday, January 13, at noon for a status hearing concerning the Canadian Consulate’s facilitation of her legal representation concerning the charge.
She has the right to apply for bail in the Supreme Court.
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