Construction Worker In Grenada Faces Lengthy Jail Term On Child Pornography Charge

ST. GEORGE’S, Grenada, November 14, 2018 (CMC) – A construction workers, who sent nude photos to an underage male, through the social media platform, remained in custody, yesterday, even though a magistrate offered him EC$20,000 bail on Monday.

Sheldon Alexander was arrested, last weekend, and appeared at the Gouyave Magistrate’s Court, on Monday, to answer the offence of child pornography by unlawfully inducing a child to an online relationship for a sexual explicit act. He will return to court on January 21 next year.

Police say he was charged, under Section 12 Subsection 2 (3) of the Electronic Crimes Act, which states that: “a person shall not knowingly and without lawful justification or excuse, cultivate, entice or induce children to an online relationship with another child or an adult for a sexually explicit act or in a manner that may offend a reasonable adult on the electronic system.”

The legislation defines a child as a person who is under the age of 18, and anyone convicted on indictment is liable to be fined EC$200,000 or to a term of imprisonment not exceeding five years or to both.

It said in the event of second or subsequent conviction, the person faces a fine not exceeding EC$300,000 or to a term of imprisonment not exceeding 20 years or to both.

The head the Special Victims Unit, Andrea Noel-Victor, said that Alexander is one of 12 persons arrested and charged since the Unit was launched in September this year.