A 41-year-old man was released on $120,000 bail after appearing in court charged with having sex with a 12-year-old girl. Sherlon Flores, of Anastasia Terrace, Arouca, was not called upon to plead to the statutory rape charge when he appeared before Magistrate Maureen Baboolal-Gafoor in the Port-of-Spain Seventh Court yesterday. Flores is accused of having sex with the minor on a date in August last year at a house at Jogie Terrace, Don Miguel Road, San Juan.
He stood silently with his hands behind his back for the duration of his court appearance yesterday and only spoke to confirm his name. Baboolal-Gafoor decided to grant him bail after his fingerprint tracing revealed he had a clean criminal record and court prosecutors told the court the alleged victim did not live near him. As part of his bail condition, Baboolal-Gafoor ordered the accused to report to the Arouca Police Station once weekly and to refrain from contacting the victim or coming within 100 metres of her.
Flores will reappear in court on March 11.