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Minor Sexually Assaulted A Tourist, But Faced No Charge
posted (May 31, 2019)
Police are putting together a file on another case of criminal action that is not so clear cut.

On Tuesday, a female tourist staying at a resort own the Placencia Peninsula was taking a jog through Seine Byte village when she was assaulted by a young man who she claims tried to rape her.

He grabbed her private parts and threw her in the bushes, but she fought him off, and got back to safety. She was traumatized and also had scratches. Still, she kept with her plan to return home. But, before she left, she did she gave a statement and identified a photo of the main suspect. But, despite having the statement - and having gotten a confession and the victim's cell phone from the young perpetrator - police still released him without charges.

Today, we asked the Commissioner of police - who is originally form Seine Byte about the case.

Reporter
"She had to leave the country immediately, she made a statement, but now we have been informed that the person has been release without charges. The person happens to be a relative of yours. Would you comment on the case?"

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
"Jules, I am sure that Miss Bodden who is the officer commanding the southern region have told you why any decision was made and I can tell you it was not made by me."

"When it was reported to me I had said to them ensure that you get the police in Ladyville to go to the airport to record the statement from her in the presence of a Justice of the Peace. That from what I was briefed was done except that according to the police, they could not have find a JP so the statement was not recorded in the presence of the JP. It goes on that in the statement given by the tourist she did not know the assailant by name so it would have required that they do an identification parade. The fact that she was about to leave the country at that time, they could not have done the ID parade and so there is an identification issue. Yes I am also told that the young man when he was apprehended may have been found with some items which the police."

Reporter
"It was her cell phone."

Chester Williams
"Yes, believed to belong to the tourist. But again for us to be able to proceed, she would have had to give police a further statement identifying the cell phone as being hers and again because she had left the country that could not have been done. So Miss Bodden had consulted me and because of the fact that there was some relationship issue as you have said, I had directed that they consult the D.P.P. on the matter."

Reporter
"At least handling stolen goods."

Chester Williams
"They would still had require the statement from the lady to say that the phone was in deed hers and that was not done."

Reporter
"Isnt it though in the interest of public safety, community safety and tourist safety that someone who has exhibit allegedly this type of behavior, I am told he also confessed, is known, at least the person is charge and you name them."

Chester Williams
"I have always maintained and I don't care if I am criticized for it, but the fact that I am an attorney and the commissioner of police, should be able to guide me to ensure that I guide my officers to do the right thing. Yes it is good for us to say we are going to arrest and charge and get that glory at that moment, but when we do arrest and charge someone we have to think about where do we go from here. The police job is not just about arresting and charging people. We must ensure that whenever we charge somebody that we have the evidence to prosecute."

Reporter
"Corporal Tutsi Usher sir?"

Chester Williams
"No, that is different. There was a complaint, the complainant identified him. We have a policy you go to court and you withdraw the matter if you want, because of the nature of the offence. We didn't want that they would say oh because its Usher and he is a police we didn't charge him. It's a situation where you are damn if you do and damn if you don't, but at the end of the day we must stand for what we know."

The alleged perpetrator is a 16 year old minor. Police say that after they get a statement from the immigration department confirming that the victim left the country, they will send the file to the DPP for advice.

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