Magistrate transfers alleged serial abuser to prison
Remanded, Thurston Semple.
Kaieteur News – The alleged 37-year-old serial killer Thurston Semple, of Lot 5A, Tucville Terrace, Georgetown, was slapped with his fourth charge of rape, and remanded to prison.
Semple, a taxi driver, who is no stranger to the courts, appeared at Georgetown Magistrates’ Court before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan.
He was not required to plead to the indictable charge, which he claimed, between February 24, 2021, and February 25, 2021, in Lot 5A, Tucville Terrace, that he had sexually assaulted a woman, without her consent.
A police prosecutor objected to Semple being granted bail, citing the fact that he had previously been charged with the rape of three sex workers and had committed to stand trial in the High Court for two of the charges . The prosecutor also added that if Semple is granted bail, he could cause harm to the witness, because after this incident happened, another woman came forward with similar allegations against him.
However, Semple told the court what the prosecutor said was a ‘lie’ and that he had been arrested for a domestic violence allegation. He said for some reason or another, he was charged with rape. He also said he has no knowledge of the other cases leveled against him.
Kaieteur News had reported that on February 24, 2021, at about 23:30 o’clock. at Robb and Cummings Streets, Georgetown, the woman was standing on the road smoking a cigarette, when Semple drove up beside her and offered her a job. The woman was reportedly agreed to have sexual intercourse with Semple for $ 10, 000. After the agreement was made, the woman got into Semple’s car and took her to his home, where they found sex.
However, Semple and the woman later ran into a misunderstanding, allegedly causing him to remove the condom from his penis. He allegedly armed himself with a knife, then allegedly raped and sodomized the woman at knife point. The woman escaped from Semple by breaking and jumping through the louvre windows at the front of his house. It is alleged that Semple then chased the woman and beat her repeatedly in her yard. An alarm was raised and neighbors intervened.
Police were called in and an ambulance arrived at the scene thereafter. The woman was taken to Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), where she remained in hospital for three days. She probably suffered a broken rib, facial lacerations, and multiple fractures.
Semple was later reconstructed and subsequently charged with rape. However, Semple has yet to be charged for allegedly beating the woman.
In addition, the investigation continues into the allegations made against Semple by another woman who was allegedly abducted, raped and beaten. Chief Magistrate McLennan remanded Semple to prison and adjourned the matter until March 11, 2021.
According to reports, during August 2017, Semple was charged with escape from lawful custody, but that charge was dismissed by a Magistrate, Dylon Bess, at Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.
That charge had alleged that on August 31, 2017, while in lawful custody at the Agricola Police Outpost, pending investigation of alleged rape and theft, he had escaped from lawful custody. The Magistrate had told the court that the prosecution was unable to prove their case beyond reasonable doubt, noting that there was insufficient evidence led by the prosecution team. He added that the accused was also charged under the wrong section of the law.
Kaieteur News also reported that Semple appeared at Georgetown Magistrates’ Court before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan on January 12, 2018, for allegedly tying two sex workers on different occasions and having sex with them.
The first allegation alleged that, between November 30, 2017 and on December 1, 2017 in Georgetown, he had sexually penetrated a woman, without her consent. He was also reported to have sexually assaulted another woman between January 3, 2018 and January 4, 2018 in Georgetown. Semple was not required to plead to the indictable charge.
It was reported that Semple picked up the sex workers on various occasions and took them to his home, where he agreed to pay them $ 10,000 each for committing sexual acts on him. Following this, Semple tied their hands and feet, put them in his car and took them back to the location where they met without paying for their service.
Chief Magistrate McLennan had given Semple bail of $ 400,000.
Semple had committed to stand trial in the High Court during May 2018, for the rape of the two sex workers. However, while he was still out on bail, weeks after his execution, he was slapped with another rape charge.
According to reports, on August 31, 2017, in Quamina Street, Georgetown, she engaged in sexual penetration with a woman without her consent.
He was not required to plead to the indictable offense. According to the facts of that accusation, on the day in question, Semple met the woman who is said to be a sex worker at Palm Court and carried her to a hotel, where he had sex with her against her will.
The woman then reported the matter to the police and the defendant was arrested for the offense. Although the police prosecutor objected to granting bail to the defendant, noting that he had recently committed to stand trial in the High Court, the Magistrate granted Semple $ 100,000 bail with the condition that he serve his court passport and stay away from the virtual complainant until the Preliminary Investigation (PI) is completed.