A teacher accused of threatening a 13-year-old schoolgirl after he sexually assaulted her on four occasions, has been freed.
Garon Watt, 27, of Portmore, St Catherine, was freed Wednesday after a jury retired for two hours and returned a unanimous verdict that he was not guilty on four counts of carnal abuse.
It was alleged that the offences were committed between February and May 2011.
Attorney-at-law Peter Champagnie, who represented Watt, argued that there were too many inconsistencies in the Crown's case and called on the jury to acquit.
Evidence was given at the trial, which began last week Tuesday in the St Catherine Circuit Court, that on four occasions, Watt took the girl from school to his home where he sexually assaulted her. It was further alleged that Watt threatened her and warned her not to tell anyone.
In November 2011, the girl ran away and when her parents found her, she made the report about Watt. The matter was reported to the police and Watt was arrested.
Cross-examined by Champagnie, the girl admitted telling lies in the past.
Champagnie pointed out to her several inconsisences in the statement she gave to the police and what she had said in court.
Watt gave an unsworn statement from the dock denying the allegations. He said the only reason the girl could have made the allegations was because he observed her in a compromising position with other male students and threatened to tell her mother. Justice Marva McDonald Bishop presided at the trial.
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