sentenced to nine months in prison.

But the 20-year-old, who acted in his own defence, has not begun to serve the time because he filed an appeal to the Supreme Court on Tuesday, a day after he was convicted.

His sentence was stayed, pending the appeal and he was granted bail in the sum of $1,500 with a surety.

The man denied having sex with the girl in May and June of 1993 and giving her gonorrhoea.

He also denied that he ever had a sexually transmitted disease.

But the girl's doctor, Dr. Elizabeth Mayall, told Acting Magistrate the Wor.

Edward Bailey that the 14-year-old was successfully treated for gonorrhoea at an STD clinic in the Caribbean.

The man, who said he had paid more than $3,000 for a lawyer who "did nothing'' during the two years that it took the trial to get to court, called his 16-year-old niece as his only witness.

His niece, who was an acquaintance of the 14-year-old, said she thought the girl was lying.

When asked why, she said: "I know my uncle.'' The accused did not offer an explanation as to why he thought the alleged victim would lie.

Mr. Bailey also had to often act as both judge and defence attorney during the two-day trial.

He adjourned the matter twice to give the accused a chance to produce witnesses and he frequently asked questions on the man's behalf.