Sex offender suspect banned from Bodden Town
Errington Webster
(CNS): Errington Webster was bailed by a magistrate Wednesday, after he was formally charged with four counts of gross indecency with a minor. The 54-year-old one-time political hopeful and community leader in Bodden Town was, however, banned from his district and ordered to stay with a family member in North Side on a 24-hour curfew in order to stay out of jail. The charges relate to four separate incidents of gross indecency with a teenage girl, with the fourth count relating to an indecent act filmed on a mobile phone that led to the investigation, Webster’s arrest and subsequent charges.
The crown made it clear during Webster’s first court appearance that the investigation is ongoing.
Although prosecutor Ellie Fargin had objected to bail, not least because of approaches made to witnesses by members of Webster’s family, many of whom were in Summary Court when he was brought from custody, Magistrate Angelyn Hernandez allowed the bail on a $5,000 bond and very strict conditions. His passport and travel documents were also seized.
Other than checking in at the George Town Police Station twice per week and attending hospital for wounds sustained during an assault, the defendant will be on lock-down at his son’s home.
The court ordered Webster not to be alone with any children, and also that he and his family were to stay away from the witnesses.
Webster made no comment during the hearing but nodded as his bail conditions were read out. He did not answer the four counts against him and the case was adjourned until 3 August at the request of his defence attorney, Steve McField, who said he needed time to consider the papers.
As she outlined the bail conditions to Webster, Hernandez also ordered that the young victim in the case could not be identified. She said any copies of the widely circulated video held in the public domain must be destroyed, as she warned that distributing the footage could lead to prosecution.
