A 26-year-old teacher, Andre McLean, of a Portland address, was yesterday offered $250,000 bail when he appeared in the Buff Bay Resident Magistrate's Court on charges of rape and abduction involving a 12-year-old student.

The teacher was taken into custody on Monday night but was only charged yesterday morning, just hours before going to court.

According to Corporal Dwayne Campbell of the Port Antonio police, the matter, which is said to have taken place in October last year, was only just brought to the attention of the police.

While there was enough evidence to have taken the teacher into custody on Monday, the police have indicated that they wanted to make sure of the evidence before charging McLean.

On the day of McLean's arrest, the police indicated they had received reports that the student was walking home from school when McLean, driving a van, pulled up beside her and offered her a ride, which she refused.

"He reportedly came out of the vehicle, lifted her up and dumped her in the back of the van," said a police source.