(Trinidad Express) CCN TV6’s Crime Watch host Ian Alleyne yesterday changed his not guilty pleas on three charges under the Sexual Offences Act when he reappeared in the Port of Spain Magistrates’ Court.
Alleyne was charged with the offences after he aired a video on three separate occasions during his programme in October of 2011, showing the rape of a 13-year-old girl.
He faces an additional charge of resisting arrest against ASP Ajith Persad of the Port of Spain Criminal Investigations Department (CID). Alleyne maintained his not guilty plea on that charge.
He reappeared before Chief Magistrate Marcia Ayers-Caesar in the Port of Spain Court yesterday morning. When the matter was called, Alleyne’s attorney, Om Lalla, informed the court that he had received certain instructions from his client, and requested that the charges be re-read.
Upon the re-reading of the charges, Alleyne proceeded to enter the guilty pleas. Asked by Ayers-Caesar for the facts in the matter before she passes sentence, Senior State Prosecutor George Busby said he was unaware Alleyne had decided to change his pleas and as such he was not in possession of the facts at the point when the matter was called.
Busby requested a short adjournment in order to have the State’s case presented to the court before Alleyne’s sentencing which is expected to take place on Monday. He is charged under Section 32 (2) of the Sexual Offences Act.
The legislation states: “A person who publishes or broadcasts any matter contrary to subsection 1 is guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to a fine of twenty-five thousand dollars and to imprisonment for five years.”
CCN TV6 is facing the same three charges and six additional charges contrary to the Telecommunications Act.
The company has however maintained its not guilty pleas on all nine charges.
