SPANISH TOWN, St Catherine – In apparent frustration, a senior magistrate this week advised women subject to sexual abuse to resort to wearing a chastity belt, a long discarded metal garment used to block sex with women.

Senior Resident Magistrate Lorna Errar-Gayle said Tuesday the use of chastity belts would keep sex offenders at bay, citing the high incidence of sexual offences that have come before the Spanish Town Resident Magistrate Court.

Faced with 10 new cases of sexual offences against females in one day, Errar-Gayle declared that she was particularly upset that six of the cases were committed against six-year-old schoolgirls.

“I am highly incensed about the number of indecent assault and carnal abuse offences committed on young kids which have come before me here today,” the magistrate told the court.

Lashing out at men who molest young girls, the judge suggested that women go back to medieval times and wear the devices to protect them from sexual assault.

“I wonder why these men cannot control themselves. maybe women will have to resort to old time days and go back to wear chastity belt, as from what I see here today the men are lining up for the little children,” Errar-Gayle mused.

Developed in the 15th-century, the chastity belt is a locking item of clothing designed to prevent sexual intercourse and protect the wearer from rape or temptation. Devices have been created for both males and females and are still used, but rarely, in consensual relationships today.

Among the cases of carnal abuse which were brought before the judge on Tuesday, was the case of a 49-year-old basic school principal, Donovan Hylton, who allegedly assaulted a six-year-old female student.

Police alleged that on Wednesday, June 6, during lunch break, the principal took the infant into a classroom, kissed her, then inserted his finger into her vagina.

The child is said to have told him that ‘mommy said no one should do that to me’. She reported the matter to her mother who raised an alarm in the community. Residents, in return, held and beat Hylton who suffered severe injuries to the head and body and was admitted to hospital.

The child was taken to hospital for examination and was found to have internal bruises. Hylton was arrested and charged with indecent assault. In court, he pleaded not guilty, but was denied bail and is scheduled to return to court on July 17.

In another matter, a 15-year-old schoolboy, who was charged with sexually molesting a 15-year-old high school girl whom he invited to his house in Portmore, St Catherine, had his bail extended to return to court also on July 17.

Meanwhile, 26-year-old computer technician, John Anderson of Marine Park, Portmore, St Catherine was granted bail in the sum of $80,000 and ordered to return to court on August 8, 2007, for allegedly assaulting a 22-year-old woman.

Police said that Anderson went to a home in Portmore to repair a computer last week where it is alleged that while attempting to repair the computer, he followed the woman into her bathroom and tried to have sex with her.

Failing to get an erection, Anderson spread-eagled her in the bathtub and after having oral sex with her, inserted a hairbrush in her vagina.

The Centre for Investigation of Sexual Offences (CISO) has reported an increase in sexual offences in St Catherine, but said they were not in a position to divulge numbers.

They said Kitson Town in the parish was one of the communities with the highest reports of sexual abuse against females.