Crime Watch host Ian Al­leyne yes­ter­day es­caped a cus­to­di­al sen­tence when he was fined a to­tal of $30,000 af­ter he was found guilty of three charges un­der the Sex­u­al Of­fences Act.

The charges sur­round­ed a se­ries of na­tion­al tele­vi­sion broad­casts in Oc­to­ber 2011. Al­leyne was charged un­der Sec­tion 32 (2), which makes it an of­fence to re­veal the iden­ti­ty of a rape vic­tim dur­ing a broad­cast.

De­liv­er­ing the rul­ing yes­ter­day in the Port-of-Spain Eighth Court, Chief Mag­is­trate Mar­cia Ay­ers-Cae­sar told Al­leyne, "To whom much is giv­en, much is ex­pect­ed."

She said while Al­leyne's ac­tion to as­sist was com­mend­able, it was im­por­tant to en­sure he did not "cross the line or tram­ple on the rights of oth­ers."

"Re­spon­si­ble ac­tion is need­ed and ex­pect­ed," Ay­ers-Cae­sar said.

Full sto­ry by An­nal­isa Paul in Wednes­day's Guardian.