Petition calls for sex case failings enquiry

| 19/09/2016 | 16 Comments

(CNS): A local activist has begun a petition calling for a public enquiry into the failings of the RCIPS investigation into the recent child abuse case where two men accused of systematically abused a young female relative walked free because of the incompetence of the police working the case. Sandra Catron launched the online petition Friday and has collected around 300 signatures in support of a more public and accountable review of what went wrong. The police have admitted the failings and have said an internal disciplinary enquiry relating to the relevant officers is underway, as well as a child abuse case load audit.

But there are no plans for a public enquiry into the case, in which the child’s uncle and cousin were acquitted because the police inexplicably dropped the ball and “inadvertently overlooked” the investigation after the 11-year-old girl reported being persistently abused by the men in the family home for what could have been years.

Catron told CNS that, as someone who has been speaking about the topic for over 15 years now, she was “shocked and disgusted” by how the case was handled.

Although the child was removed from the home in the wake of her report to an adult that she was being abused, police failed to take any further action on the case for more than 18 months.

“Despite their contention that no further harm has come to this child as a result of their unbelievable failures, I do not agree and they clearly miss the point. I believe this child has been denied an opportunity at justice as a result; this entire community has failed her by extension. Also, these perpetrators are free to find other victims. That’s significant to her and potentially others,” Catron added.

The men cannot be identified due to a court order because, as relatives, their exposure could also identify the child.

The petition also asks the governor to revisit the issue of a sex offenders register, for which Catron has campaigned for years. This remains problematic in Cayman as many sex offenders who are in jail or currently going through the courts are the subject of anonymity orders because they are relatives or were teachers or coaches to small numbers of children or teens, making the identification of victims a real risk.

Catron has also raised the question of the child’s mother, who was during the course of the trial accused of abusing her daughter. One of the officers on the case said that the woman was considered a suspect but was never charged.

While Catron believes the community has now lost all faith in the police, the governor has the power to launch a public inquiry.

“An internal investigation is not comforting, given our existing lack of confidence in the police. However, a public inquiry will give everyone the opportunity to hear the nature of the investigation and results. We are also asking that whoever is at fault for these various failures be removed from the force,” she said.

Catron hopes that Cayman Islands Governor Helen Kilpatrick, who has during her time here kept at arms-length from community concerns, will on this occasion listen the people, given that the political arm has largely ignored this issue and the police appear ill-equipped to handle investigations.

See the petition here

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Category: Crime, Police

Comments (16)

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  1. Anonymous says:

    People are forgetting that this case was assigned to a social worker and the case would have been reviewed and managed by a social work manager. Why isn’t dcfs being investigated as well? The social worker and the agency has an obligation and it is their duty to be an advocate for the client. They should have been banging down doors and writing formal complaints to get action. Shame on all of you for your complacency. Yes it is a small community but the community needs someone to stand up for the people. That is the true role of social workers.

  2. Larry and da Puppets says:

    Its time to send some of these functionally illiterate police officers back home they should not have been hired in the first place! Sadly some of the very same individuals responsible for this terrible situation has now left the RCIPS and move to other law enforcement entities with the very same ideas and plans which they are desperately trying to impliment there.

    • Keri says:

      The amount of persons voicing their concerns on this topic is a true reflection of how far Cayman has come . And the interest of the current politicians is also a true reflection of how interested they are . Picture your own child getting molested that’s what people need to do ..as clearly the majority of people on this island have no empathy of what is taking place with OUR kids SO VERY SAD. Human sexuality takes dxmn precedent over human sexual and physical abuse ???? Wow Cayman I’m really sad at this point that you saw call Christians are in hiding now when a topic like this should be much more important to especially UNNA who claim to be Christians !!!! DxMN SHAME AND ALL U POLITICIANS IS RIGHT THERE BEHIND THEM LOOKING VOTES. Just today another boy child possibly sexually abused at age 4-6!!!! SHAME ON ALL YOU WHO HAVE NOT SIGNED THEIR NAMES OR TAKEN A STANCE ON THIS! How can you sleep at night knowing that yet another child is possibly being molested ?? Wow pathetic …

  3. Anonymous says:

    Hello 11:24 am

    I do hope “The public inquiry” is’t done by the people who did the inquiry into the carepay fiasco..

  4. Anonymous says:

    We must not let the innocence of our children be violated.

  5. Anonymous says:

    innocent till proven guilty…..what happen to the lynch mobs?

  6. Anonymous says:

    Corrupting an innocent child and forcing her to gratify the depraved desires of her uncle and cousin is not just a form of grotesque domestic “abuse”, it is sexual assault and rape of a minor. We cannot understand how the case gets dropped when similar cases elsewhere in the world can be successfully prosecuted decades after the fact. How does the RCIPS not think it’s in the public interest to prosecute?!?

    CNS Note: As pointed out in the report the men were prosecuted but the poor police enquiry led to the accused men being acquitted. The related earlier news reports are now linked

    • Anonymous says:

      Is everyone involved Caymanian? Have they been granted status that could be revoked? Have immigration even been asked to determine whether there is anything they may be able to do to “remove” these persons from our community.

      And do not give me any innocent until proved guilty crap. Immigration is not bound by the same standards and are entitled to form their own independent view on the evidence.

  7. Anonymous says:

    It’s a ridiculous travesty to not have locals scattered throughout the police force and in charge of it as well. They’re letting us know that we cannot possibly be a good and reputable service, though our benched government is a good indication of why they feel this. Our Governor should also be local. Maybe the Queen should show more of an interest, maybe appoint one of the many locals that she has awarded for some reason or another over the years.

  8. Anonymous says:

    I’ve never been comfortable with petitions because the process is so open to abuse but in this case a public inquiry (note the correct spelling CNS) is the only way to deal with this disgraceful fiasco.

    I suspect the impression most people have is that the RCIPS officers involved were protecting the two accused and if that’s left to an internal investigation it will simply look like a cover up. A public inquiry is the only way to restore confidence in the credibility and accountability of the police so let’s get on with it.

    • Sunrise says:

      Enquiry is the British spelling. Inquiry is the American spelling, however, they have the same meaning. I do agree, we need an internal investigation into this matter!! It is time for the protection of these innocent children. Harsher penalties and a sex offenders registry!! They wouldn’t like me to set the laws for this!! Lynching would be a start!! But seriously, it is time we get real serious about this!! Where are the elected members views on this? I vote in West Bay, and it is disgraceful to see nothing coming from my useless representatives on this!!!

    • Anonymous says:

      In the US, inquiry and enquiry are interchangeable, but be aware that many will consider enquiry to be a spelling mistake of inquiry.

      In the UK, inquiry and enquiry are interchangeable. However, it is becoming preferable to use inquiry to denote an investigation and enquiry to denote a question.

      CNS: I had a look at this and I think you’re right. Henceforth, we will be using ‘inquiry’ in the sense of an investigation.

  9. Anonymous says:

    The inquiry should include threatening the lives of other people’s children, I suggest.

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