John Bally, a native Trinidadian, was found not guilty of child sex charges yesterday June 2, 2014. Photo: VINO

The native of Trinidad and Tobago was accused of having sex with a six year old girl during the period 2005 – 2007. He had withstood a previous trial and was found guilty resulting in him being sentenced to ten years imprisonment.

That decision was overruled by the Court of Appeal paving the way for a retrial.

It was at the end of the retrial which was held in the High Court of the Virgin Islands that the jury found him not guilty and the man was finally able to walk out the court room free of the charge.

The charge was having unlawful sex with a girl under the age of 13 years old and was held ‘in-camera’.

See previous story published on May 27, 2014:

John Bally's retrial likely for today

ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI - John Bally, a native Trinidadian who has been resident in the Virgin Islands more than a decade and a half, is likely to face trial for allegedly having unlawful sex with a girl under the age of thirteen.

The matter was set for the commencement of the retrial yester‎day May 26, 2014 in the High Court.

However when the matter was called before Justice Vicky Ann Ellis, Bally's attorney Mr Patrick Thompson informed the court of a submission that he needed to file in order for the matter to move forward.

The jurors were all in court but a nine member jury team could not have been impaneled ‎because of the required legal process. The potential jurors were advised to return to court today at 8:30am at which time it is anticipated that the trial will commence.

Senior Crown Counsel Valston Graham is set to lead the case for the Crown.