Police have arrested a common-law couple who have been accused of taking two primary school girls to their home and sexually assaulting them.

They were picked up by the St Catherine North police yesterday, after one of the girls revealed how she was forced to have sex with the man and give oral sex to the woman.

Police confirmed the couple's arrest yesterday but declined to give further details, saying the matter was very sensitive and further investigations were being done.

But residents, after learning about the alleged incidents, revealed to THE STAR how shocked they were on hearing how the girls were abused.

Information reaching THE STAR is that one of the girls told the police that the woman opened her legs and told her to try and let her common-law man insert his penis into her. The child said when it was obvious that she could not accommodate him and she began to scream and cry, the woman covered her mouth and told her to bear the pain and try to take it.

STD

It is also alleged that the woman would sometimes order the girls to give her oral sex. It is understood that it was only after it was discovered that one of the girls had a sexually transmitted infection and was questioned she revealed what happened.

The residents said it was possible that more children of the community may have been abused, as the woman, who has spent a lot of time with children, accommodated many of them at her house.