Twenty-eight-year-old Lamar Golding - a taxi operator, of Richmond Hill in Portland, is to return to court on February 18 to answer to a series of carnal abuse and rape offences, which were allegedly committed over a four-month period.

He was remanded when he last appeared in Buff Bay's Resident Magistrate's court on January 30.

The taxi operator was first arrested in September, last year, and charged with carnal abuse and rape of a 14-year-old female student from a prominent high school in the parish.

Constabulary Communication Network liaison officer for the parish, Corporal Dwayne Campbell, said the man was granted bail for the first offence.

According to Corporal Campbell, shortly after the man was again arrested and charged with the abduction and rape of a 15-year-old girl.

Granted bail after offence

"He was again granted bail after committing a second offence," Corporal Campbell said.

He added: "But he didn't stop there, and he continued his illicit practice of targeting minors and was again arrested and charged for a third offence of rape of a 14-year-old girl. He was also charged with the indecent assault of a 10-year-old female."

Corporal Campbell was, how-ever, unable to say why an accused child molester was granted bail twice after allegedly committing similar offences in a short space of time.

A female officer assigned to the Port Antonio Criminal Investigative Branch, under condition of anonymity, said the man was granted bail on the second occasion as a result of a medical illness.

"His attorney managed to persuade the court that his illness was life threatening," she said.

"The attorney made submissions that his client was suffering from a severe chest illness."

The female officer also explained that the accused's attorney, Carl McDonald, made recommendations to the court for his client to undergo psychiatric evaluation. Accor-ding to the officer, the tests were done and it was determined that the suspect had auditory hallucinations.

- G.D.