By DENISE MAYCOCK
Tribune Freeport Reporter
dmaycock@tribunemedia.net
A 19-year-old man accused of having sex with a minor was arraigned in the Freeport Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday.
Nubian Stuart, of Freeport, appeared before Deputy Chief Magistrate Debbye Ferguson.
He was charged with one count of unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor. It is alleged that on March 5, at Freeport, Stuart had sex with a 13-year-old girl.
He was not represented by counsel and was not required to enter a plea to the charge. A preliminary inquiry will be held to determine if there is sufficient evidence for Stuart to be tried in the Supreme Court.
The prosecutor explained that because the offence falls under Section 43A Part B of the Sexual Offences Act, bail could not be granted in Magistrate’s Court, and that the accused would have to apply to the Supreme Court for bail.
The matter was adjourned to June 12.
In another criminal matter, Erold Tate, 58, of Hudson Estates, was charged with vagrancy. He pleaded guilty to the charge after the magistrate continually explained that he could not plead guilty with an explanation.
According to the particulars, on March 12, Tate was found in the upscale residential area of Royal Palm Way, Freeport, without a satisfactory explanation of why he was there around 12.10pm and was told he was being arrested for loitering.
Tate told the magistrate that he was walking to the beach to go see his cousin to ask him if he wanted some conch. He saw a police car coming so he moved to the side. He said that officers stopped. “They searched me and found no drugs on me. They took me to the station and started searching me again, and charged with me with vagrancy,” he explained.
Deputy Chief Magistrate Ferguson ordered Tate to pay a fine of $50 before 2pm or in default serve four months in prison.
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