Leslie Castello is expected to face yet another retrial after a 12-member panel was yesterday once again unable to arrive at a verdict on charges that he raped a young girl.
After more than two hours of deliberations, the jury forewoman informed Justice Jo-Ann Barlow that the panel was deadlocked, while noting that further directions would not have assisted, as each juror was resolute in their position.
In the circumstances, Justice Barlow explained to a visibly-relieved Castello, who has been admitted to bail, that the jury was unable to reach a verdict and so he was free to go.
She further informed the accused that he would be contacted by the Chambers of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) at the appropriate time regarding the way forward.
Castello has been charged with two counts of rape of a child under 16 years.
He is accused of raping a 13-year-old girl twice on the same day.
The charges allege that sometime between November 1st and 30th of 2012, in the county of Demerara, he sexually penetrated the teenager.
The state’s case is that the child was making her way home from school when Castello, who was on a bicycle, snatched her up and took her into the backdam, where he raped her twice.
Castello was first placed on trial for the offences in June of 2018. However, at the conclusion of that trial, a jury was also unable to arrive at a berdict.
Castello was represented by attorney Folio Richards, while the state was represented by Prosecutor Teriq Mohamed.
The trial proceedings were held in-camera at the Sexual Offences Court of the Supreme Court in Georgetown.
