A Coast Guard officer and a driver were placed on $200,000 bail each yesterday on a charge of raping a 17-year-old girl. Mark Petterson, 24, a seaman in the T&T Defence Force, and Wylan Jennings, 28, both appeared before Princes Town First Court Magistrate Indrani Cedeno. It is alleged that on December 11 at a house on St Julian Road, Princes Town, they forced the girl to have sexual intercourse. Petterson, who was accompanied by three senior officers, was represented by attorney Petronella Basdeo.
In applying for bail Basdeo said Petterson was involved in a common-law relationship and had one child. Basdeo said she was informed by Chief Petty Officer, Richard Rattan, who was present in court, that if Petterson were to be released on bail he would be confined to the Coast Guard barracks at Teteron Bay, Chaguaramas. She said Rattan would be responsible for bringing him to court. Basdeo said Petterson had no pending matters or previous convictions.
Jennings' attorney Russell Pena requested that his client be placed on a bond. Saying that the strength of the case was weak, he said his client was not involved in the alleged act but was not denying he was in the vicinity. Jennings, he said, had one previous conviction for malicious damage. The magistrate granted them $200,000 each bail with a cash alternative of $10,000. The matter was adjourned to December 23.
