RANSFORD Spaulding, a track and field coach, was yesterday brought before the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate’s Court to face a charge of carnal abuse.

The charge was laid against Spaulding after a 14-year-old student, who was a member of the track team, reported to the police that Spaulding and herself had carnal knowledge of each other during an affair they had. The affair is alleged to have taken place during the months of June and December last year.

Based upon the student’s report, Spaulding was taken into police custody and charged.

Earl Wright, who represented Spaulding, informed presiding magistrate Martin Gayle that the complainant in the case was known to be undisciplined and that there were statements made by her fellow students which would suggest that she had cooked up the charge on his client.

“The child was suspended for misbehaviour and statements from her fellow students reveal that she vowed that if suspended she would do certain things to in Jamaican parlance, F, him up,” Wright told the court.

“Indiscipline comes with privilege sometimes, Mr Wright,” RM Gayle replied.

Spaulding was granted bail in the sum of $100,000 with one or two sureties. He was also ordered to hand over his travel documents to the police, report to the Half Way Tree police station every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday and to give the police his fingerprints.

The accused man will again face the court on April 11.