A Portmore teacher accused of sexually assaulting a student of the Bridgeport High School in St Catherine where he was employed, will return to the Spanish Town Resident Magistrate's Court on March 18.

Audley Campbell of Gregory Park, St Catherine, appeared before Resident Magistrate Caylis Wiltshire on the charge of carnal abuse. The Clerk of Court outlined that on the day in question, the 16-year-old complainant was at school. The accused grabbed her school-uniform belt and ran playfully with it and the student started to chase him.

Eventually, the teacher of two years took the teenager to his home where he had sex with her and she became pregnant.

The court further heard that following this, the child wrote about her ordeal to someone at the school. Campbell was picked up by the police on February 10 and formal charges laid against him.

In applying for bail, defence attorney Althea Grant told the court that her client had a good reputation and that even when he was being arrested, the complainant sent a text to say that she has been pressured by a relative to press charges.

The Crown did not oppose bail, however, the RM ordered Campbell to report to the Caymanas police two times weekly and also to surrender his travel documents.