By PAVEL BAILEY
Tribune Staff Reporter
pbailey@tribunemedia.net
A MAN accused of raping his female tenant on Hospital Lane last month was granted bail yesterday.
Prosecutors allege Joey Sawyer, 48, confronted a 47-year-old woman about unpaid rent on April 11.
The confrontation allegedly escalated after the complainant said her boyfriend would pay him later and Sawyer snatched her phone, accusing her of recording him.
Sawyer allegedly choked, stripped and raped the woman.
In granting Sawyer bail, Senior Justice Cheryl Grant-Thompson found that he was not a flight risk because of his strong ties to the community. She also found that he was of good character because he had no previous convictions.
Ian Cargill, Sawyer’s attorney, said the accused had eight children, two of whom are minors, and worked at the Fish Fry.
Sawyer’s bail was set at $15,000 with two or three sureties. He will be fitted with a monitoring device and must sign in at the Nassau Street Police Station every Monday, Wednesday and Friday by 6pm.
He must not come within 100ft of the complainant or any witnesses in the matter and must not travel without the court’s express permission.
Justice Thompson warned Sawyer to comply with the terms and conditions of his bail or risk having it revoked.
Sawyer returns to the Magistrates Court for service of his voluntary bill of indictment on August 6.
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