News

Did dad give girl 'hush' money?

By PAUL A REID, Staff Reporter

western bureau

A 40-YEAR-old man who is alleged to have offered his teen daughter $500 for her "not to talk" about what he wanted to do to her, and then tried to have sex with her, was remanded in police custody when he appeared in the Montego Bay Resident Magistrate's Court last Tuesday.

The man, who kept shaking his head in denial throughout the proceedings, lives with three of his children after his wife left the island for the hotel work programme in March.

It was heard that in early June he offered her the money asking her not to tell anyone what he was going to do to her. On June 22 at about 4:30 p.m., the court heard he sent out the other two children and told her he had some thing to show her and touched her on her breasts, buttocks and vagina.

Ran away

It was heard she ran into the bedroom and he followed her, pushed her on to the bed where he kissed her and touched her on her private parts again.

She, however, got away and reported the matter to a female relative who then took her to the police. The lawmwn returned to the house with her and she pointed out her father.

The court heard that an older daughter also told the police he did it to her when she was younger.

The accused man told the court he was not able to afford a lawyer and he will be assessed by the Legal Aid Clinic to see if he is eligible for help.

He will be brought back to court on July 15.