British man facing 10 years in jail after admitting sexually assaulting boy in Trinidad

A British man is facing 10 years in jail after pleading guilty to sexually assaulting a nine-year-old boy on his yacht in Trinidad.

Derek Ide, 66, a former teacher from Southampton, is said to have sexually assaulted the child at a boat yard in Chaguaramas, in the St George West area of the Caribbean island.

He was arrested in April 2013 after the boy told his parents, who are not native to Trinidad.

The Port of Spain Magistrates' Court heard that Mr Ide had spent at least half a year in Trinidad for the past eight years.

The Daily Mail reports that neighbours near his Southampton home have expressed their shock. One said: "It's a big shock as whenever I saw him he was very nice and polite.

"I haven't seen him for a couple of years, but he owned a boat there and a boat here and used to go to the Caribbean in the winter and he was really into sailing."

According to the Daily Echo, a spokesman for the Foreign Office said: "We are aware of the arrest of a British national in Trinidad.

"We are providing consular assistance."

Mr Ide pleaded not guilty to the offence during his first court appearance after his arrest on 28 April.

But he changed his plea after the charge was amended to serious indecency from grievous sexual assault by senior state prosecutor George Busby.

Mr Ide was remanded in custody and will reappear before Port of Spain Magistrates' Court for sentencing on 13 December.

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