By LAMECH JOHNSON

Tribune Staff Reporter

ljohnson@tribunemedia.net

A MAN was arraigned in Magistrate’s Court yesterday alleged to have had unlawful sexual intercourse with an 11-year-old girl.

Cecil Bain, 35, of Deveaux Street appeared before Chief Magistrate Joyann Ferguson-Pratt accused of sexually assaulting the child sometime between 2012 and Saturday, December 19 of this year.

Bain, however, was not required to enter a plea to the charge, which is an indictable offence that carries up to life imprisonment if a conviction is secured at the end of trial in the Supreme Court.

He was told that his case would be fast-tracked to the Supreme Court for trial through service of a voluntary bill of indictment. That presentation will occur at his next Magistrate’s Court appearance scheduled for February 18, 2016.

The chief magistrate concluded the arraignment noting that the nature of the charge removed the court’s discretion to consider bail and further informed the accused of his right to apply for bail to the Supreme Court.

Bain was remanded to the Department of Correctional Services.

He has retained lawyer Tecoyo Bridgewater to defend him against the charge.