Bridgetown, Dec 28 (IANS/CMC) Jailed amateur heavyweight boxing champion Anderson Emmanuel, charged with stealing jewellery and cash, was granted bail and spent Christmas with his family.

Anthony Jones, president of the Amateur Boxing Association of Barbados, stood surety for the boxer on a bond of $10,000.

The prized fighter had to surrender his passport, and will also be required to report to a police station three times a week.

‘I’m innocent of this charge and I’m just happy to be going home.’

Emmanuel, a Commonwealth, Central American and Caribbean Games, and Pan-Am Games medallist, was remanded to custody earlier this month on the charge of stealing jewellery worth close to $7,500 and cash around $1,500 in July. He is scheduled to return to court Jan 17.