Putter 'on bail, raped girl'
2005-03-14 23:19
Johannesburg - The High Court heard on Monday that East Rand paedophile Peter Putter, 33, allegedly raped his last victim shortly after being freed on bail for attempted rape.
Detective-sergeant Deon Pieterse, the former investigating officier in the child-molestation case, testified in Johannesburg High Court on Monday that Putter was released on R1 000 bail on July 21 2003 after being arrested for the attempted rape of a 17-year-old Kempton Park girl.
Less than two months after his arrest and subsequent release, Putter apparently raped a minor girl.
Last week, Putter admitted guilt in the case of rape as well as on four charges of kidnapping and three of indecent assault.
The court changed Putter's guilty plea in the rape case to one of not guilty after he claimed he had not realised his victim, a 12-year-old girl from Benoni, had been under 16.
Putter's plea statement was not withdrawn, however, and he does not deny having raped the girl.
Looked like a girl in early puberty
Linda Smith, a social worker who counselled the girl after the attack, also testified on Monday.
She said the girl had not looked "16 or 17" years old as claimed earlier by Putter.
"She looked to me like a young girl of 11 or 12. She had turned 12 the previous month and looked like a girl in early puberty."
Smith told the court further proof of the girl's obvious youth was that after the rape there had not been the need to worry about pregnancy as the child had not yet started to menstruate.
Pieterse told the court Putter had handed himself over to police after the two girls - the rape victim and the 16-year-old attempted-rape victim - had reported the incidents to police.
An identikit had been compiled and his face had appeared in "the newspaper".
He told the court Putter had picked up his victims near primary schools.
The court heard earlier that Putter lured his victims into his red Corsa bakkie by telling them he was a policeman and that he had to search them for drugs.