A 30-year-old con­struc­tion work­er was grant­ed bail with a sure­ty in the sum of $150,000, or $15,000 cash al­ter­na­tive when he ap­peared at the Princes Town Mag­is­trates’ Court, charged with two counts of Sex­u­al Pen­e­tra­tion yes­ter­day.

The ac­cused is not to have any con­tact with the vic­tim or her im­me­di­ate fam­i­ly mem­bers.

He is al­so to stay 500 m away from the vic­tim at all times.

It is al­leged that in May 2020, the vic­tim, who was 11 years old at the time of the in­ci­dent, was at home in the sus­pect’s bed­room on his bed watch­ing tele­vi­sion when the sus­pect touched her in­ap­pro­pri­ate­ly.

Al­so in May 2021, the vic­tim was again at home when she went to use the mi­crowave in the sus­pect’s bed­room.

He al­leged­ly pushed her down on his bed and touched her in­ap­pro­pri­ate­ly again.

The mat­ters were re­port­ed to the Princes Town Po­lice Sta­tion and the Spe­cial Vic­tims Unit launched an in­ves­ti­ga­tion in­to the mat­ter. The ac­cused was ar­rest­ed and charged on Sat­ur­day 27 May 2023.

He is ex­pect­ed to reap­pear in court on June 26, 2023.