EIGHTON Bailey, a bus owner of Kingston, was Wednesday brought before the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate’s Court to answer to a charge of carnal abuse.

Bailey was arrested and charged by Detective Corporal Pilmar Powell of the Half Way Tree police, after a 14 year-old child made a report that Bailey and herself had carnal knowledge of each other, twice ,between January and February.

Allegations against the accused are that, on March 1, this year, he received a call from the complainant and both parties agreed to go to a motel along Lyndhurst Crescent and have sexual intercourse. A similar incident occurred in the second week of February, the court was also told.

However, defence attorney Earl Wright, pointed to the character of his client and the fact that he had no previous convictions. Wright expressed the view that the character of the 14 year-old complainant should be examined before his client’s name is dragged through the mud.

“The character of the complainant is not, well, not up to par,” Wright said as he applied for bail for his client. Wright also pointed out that the complainant did not report the matter to her mother until the day the report was being given to the police.

The prosecution did not offer any opposition to the bail application on the grounds that the accused was well known to them and would have difficulty hiding from the law.

Bailey was offered bail in the sum of $60,000 with one surety. He was also ordered by presiding magistrate, Jennifer Straw, to give the police his fingerprints. Bailey will again answer to the charge on May 1 of this year.