A male teacher at a prominent high school in St Ann – Jamaica's largest parish – has been accused of sexual misconduct.
The 24-year-old teacher has been charged by the St Ann CIB with one count of sodomy, indecent assault, and grievous sexual assault. Reports are that the teacher got involved in a sexual relationship with a 15-year-old male student at the school, as reported by the Jamaica Observer.
Teacher Caught by a Parent who Trailed One of the Students
It is alleged that another minor, the male student and the male teacher met up in a hotel room in the nearby town of Ocho Rios and indulged in a menage-a-trois. However, a parent of one of the male students suspected what was going on and trailed the student only to make the shocking discovery. She later reported it to the police.
The teacher was arrested last Thursday and taken into custody following the complaint and was subsequently charged. He is scheduled to appear in the St Ann Parish Court to answer to the charges. Under Jamaican law, it is illegal to engage in sexual intercourse or engage in any sexual activity with a person under the age of 16.
"A minor can in no way, shape or form consent to sexual intercourse, as the law of the land states, even if they agree to such unlawful behaviour, but when it involves a male doing the act to another male who is a minor, that male is not charged with carnal abuse. Sex between two males is not recognized as sex under the law. So in such cases, the police are forced to charge the accused with buggery," a police source told the news outlet.
Section 76 of the Offences Against the Person act criminalises 'sodomy' between men with a penalty of up to ten years imprisonment, with or without hard labour. Section 77 prohibits attempts to commit buggery or an indecent assault on a man with a penalty of up to seven years imprisonment, with or without hard labour.
Teacher Claims He is a Target of a 'Conspiracy'
The defence attorney of the teacher on Wednesday claimed that a possible "conspiracy between students and teachers" at the school resulted in the male teacher being slapped with charges.
The attorney told the presiding judge that it was clear by the text messages that the complainant continued to message the educator and offered him "certain things."
