A sexual assault sentencing was adjourned in the Supreme Court yesterday for a Newton hearing.

A Newton hearing generally takes place when a defendant has pleaded guilty but there are some discrepancies in the information presented by the prosecutors.

Lawyer Peter Farge and said his client purchased one lot of alcohol, but not both, as the Crown alleged.

The 22-year-old man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, pleaded guilty to the three counts of unlawful carnal knowledge on girls under the age of 14.

Mr. Farge went on to say that one of the victims had claimed that she was over 16 years old, but Crown counsel Graveney Bannister and Puisne Judge Charles-Etta Simmons told him that age was no defence.

Mr. Farge also pointed out that there were aggravating factors and there was no proof that the defendant told one of the victims that he would throw her out of his house at about 3 a.m. if she did not have intercourse with him.

But Mr. Bannister said the points raised would not impact upon the Crown?s case against the defendant.

Earlier in the sentencing the court heard that the defendant met up with two of the girls at a Southampton gas station and he caught the bus to Somerset with them.

The girls went home but later met with the accused and drank vodka and orange juice.

Victim one told her mother about the incident several months later and, on examination, it was discovered that she was 12 weeks pregnant.

The defendant initially denied having intercourse with the teenager, but did not deny that she had spent the night.

The foetus was aborted and tissue from it was sent abroad for DNA testing and it was found that the defendant was the biological father of the aborted foetus.

The defendant then admitted to having had intercourse with victim number one.

The second victim, another girl under the age of 14, said he sexually assaulted her after threatening to throw her out of his house at 3 a.m.

Her statement said she was afraid because she had lied to her mother about where she was spending the night and consented to having intercourse with the defendant.

She said she cried, but the accused told her to shut up or he would kick her out of his house.

The defendant later admitted to having sex with victim number two on two occasions and ejaculating.

The case of the third victim will remain on file.

The case was adjourned for the next arraignments session when a date will be set for a Newton hearing.