A Jamaican man appeared in court in St Maarten recently accused of raping his 11-year-old goddaughter.

The accused man reportedly surrendered to police in the tiny Dutch colony last week Thursday after he was informed that he was being sought by the police. He is married to a local woman who had custody of the child.

The girl's relatives reported to a St Maarten newspaper that the child had been abused. Those reports indicated that the girl had complained about the Jamaican's sexual advances but no action was taken because there was no evidence to support the claims.

However, just over a week ago, the girl's grandmother caught the suspect in the act of raping the child. In a rage, she attacked him and both were subsequently arrested and later released.

Since his arrest, reports have surfaced that the man has been accused of molesting the child for more than three years.

The Court of Guardianship has placed the child in protective custody pending the outcome of the investigation. She is currently staying with a relative.

St Maarten is home to as many as 6,000 Jamaicans who are employed in most sectors of the island's economy.