– released on $250,000 bail pending outcome of trial
A 37-year-old taxi driver who reportedly preys on sex workers was on Friday committed to stand trial at the High Court in Demerara for allegedly raping a woman. The man, Thurston Semple of Tucville, Georgetown, has since been released on $250,000 bail pending the hearing and determination of the trial.
Back in March, Semple was hurled before the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts for the offence.
Alleged rapist Thurston Semple
He was not required to plead to the indictable charge which alleged that between February 24 and 25, 2021, at Georgetown, he engaged in sexual penetration with a woman without her consent. At that time, Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan remanded him to prison.
His matter was subsequently transferred before Principal Magistrate Faith McGusty, who conducted the Paper Committal. On Friday, Magistrate McGusty ruled that at the close of the prosecution’s case, sufficient evidence [prima facie case] was established against Semple for him to stand trial.
Accordingly, she committed the rape accused to stand trial before a Judge and jury at the next practicable session of the Demerara Criminal Assizes. Until then, he remains out on bail.
According to facts presented by the Police prosecutor, on February 24, 2021, at around 22:30h, Semple drove up to the woman who was standing at a location in Georgetown. He requested to talk to her during which they arranged to have sex.
Semple agreed to pay the woman $10,000 for her service. He took her to his home and they were engaged in sexual activities. Sometime after, the woman complained that she was experiencing pain. As such, Semple instructed her to perform oral sex on him, but she refused.
It was then the man allegedly got angry and placed a knife to her neck while demanding that she please him. The naked woman complied, and when Semple turned his back, she escaped through a window. The woman alerted persons in the neighbourhood who came to her rescue.
She was given a sheet to cover herself. She was later taken to the hospital. For his part, Semple has labelled the allegations against him as “lies”. He had previously told the Chief Magistrate that the incident between him and the woman is a case of domestic violence and not rape.
Semple is presently listed for trial at the Demerara High Court on rape charges.
He allegedly raped two female sex workers. The charges against him state that he raped one of the women between November 30, 2017, and December 1, 2017, and the other between January 3, 2018, and January 4, 2018. He was granted bail pending the hearing and determination of the trial.
According to reports, he picked up the women at a location in Georgetown and promised to pay them $10,000 each to have sex with them. After the women performed various sex acts on him, Semple reportedly threatened them. He then dropped them off at the location where he picked them up without giving them a cent.
