A 66-year-old man, who allegedly fondled a six-year-old girl, was, on Friday, November 15, 2019, arraigned before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan.

Reuben France appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court and was not required to plead to the indictable charge which stated that, on February 15, 2019, at Supply East Bank Demerara, he engaged in sexual activity with a child under the age of sixteen.
According to information presented in court, the defendant is known to the family and on the day in question, the child’s grandmother asked him to clean her yard.

The child was playing in the yard while her grandmother was upstairs. The defendant after realizing, that himself and the child were in the yard alone, sat in a chair and called the child to sit on his lap and fondled her.
The child then told her grandmother what transpired and the matter was reported to the police.

Magistrate McLennan released France on $75,000 bail under the condition that he remained 50 feet away from the family and made no contact with the said family.
France is also to report to the Timehri Police Station, weekly, until the completion of his trial and is to make his second court appearance on November 20, 2019.