Father acquitted in historic sex-abuse case
(CNS): A 61-year-old George Town man who was accused by his teenage daughter of indecent assault on a single occasion when she was around ten years old was acquitted of the charges Friday, after a judge said he had some doubt about the evidence. The man, who is the father of several children and grandchildren, was separated from the alleged victim’s mother when she said the abuse occurred. She said it happened around five years ago, when she and her younger brother had gone to say with him while their mother was overseas for a few days.
The child claimed that he had touched her genitals and asked her to touch his penis and after the incident warned her not to say anything to anyone otherwise she would be blamed. The girl remained silent for several years but then told some school friends.
As the girl became a teenager, concerns were raised about her self-harming and her mother had pressed her about what was wrong. She then made the allegation about the abuse.
Although the judge, who presided over the case alone without a jury, said he was impressed with the child as a witness, he still had doubts about the case, which was based entirely on the girl’s evidence. As a result of those doubts, Justice Micheal Wood said he had to find the man not guilty.
I remember many years ago when I started self advocating for myself my reading self-help books and getting counseling for my child sexual rape and abuse. One of the things I learned to do was to write letters to the accusers and let them know that I was aware and I remembered even as a child from the age of five to six. There was a particular gentleman working as a prison guard at the prison and I wrote one specifically to him and mailed it. He acknowledged his abuse towards me as a child a meal friend of my mother and her companion. He apologized I suppose he thought I did not remember would not have remembered there were others too that I wrote letters to that was not able to give the letters till but I did approach them and let them know that I had remembered one or two didn’t answer one or two pretended that they had no clue what I talked about one or two including that one man apologized. And to tell the world who these people are no one would believe me but from the age of 5 going up to the age of about 12 they were about 7 abusers and people and came on what shake their heads and say no. But yes all those years I held it to myself except for counseling after I turned 18. My mother? I shared those experiences with her at the age of 19 asking her if she was aware. I could almost trust that she had hardly a clue–based on our dialogue.These predators are so good at what they do they go under the radar even with the parents.
It’s very courageous of you to speak up. Thank you.
#metoocayman
One thing I cannot understand with prosecutor’s cases at times. Alternative charges!! Lesser degree of charges. Do not stick one or two charges. The call is often to consider similar/like charges, or other charges that may substitute to get some type of justice!! Come on man!
I don’t know the case nor heard who the accused or victim are but seems to me from the reporting something, SOMETHING was amiss.
With respect to the accused, people swear many times for someone–a brother, boyfriend, husband, neighbor, coworker or best friend. Truth is. We just do NOT always know people as we think.
A recent case in Tampa where a young lady of 13 years old was placed back in her father’s custody for defiling the rules at her mother’s house and one of her weekly stays. She disappeared and subsequently found decomposing a few days later not far from the father’s residence. He waited 3 or 4 days before he reported her missing and give statements that he did not check on her while she was in her room and did not know when she left the house to go out. Facebook was a circus with his supporters friends and families and people who believe interested in him that he was innocent. Even so when the police finally decided to search his residence and he refused! These people are still supportive of him. Even when the evidence that was found near her half-buried grave connected to evidence found inside his house these reporters still denied that he was involved and would not kill his young daughter. Even when his fingerprints were found on her small body and proof that he ingested alcohol and drugs to her system. His girlfriend swore up and down that he was not involved with the truth coming out that she was there the whole time right up until shortly before he killed her, telling his girlfriend it was okay to leave to go home. A young beautiful sweet 13 year old young lady killed at the hands of her father murdered teeth knocked out face bruised strangled and buried and a half buried grave out in the woods. Call that heartless. People will be in denial of believing what someone that they know has done because it is easier to deny than face the truth. That’s all I have to say.
I know this gentleman and he may be a lot of things but a pedophile he is not. This is simply a jilted former girlfriend exacting revenge; unfortunately using her own daughter in the process. Pedophilia in all its form is abhorrent and a crime, but in this regard, so too should bringing false accusations against an innocent person. Although in this case the gentleman got off, unfortunately for him, the stigma will live with him forever.
Leave him with your young daughter then.
On the evidence, several people did and he did absolutely nothing to the children in his care.
This is not a case where you know the facts so don’t be so quick to jump to your incorrect conclusions.
Sad case.
I think I understand why the judge made that decision from a legal perspective.
But I am a strong child advocate and it is heartbreaking when a victim suffered in silence for so long, finally breaking her silence only to be essentially told, “we have doubts, so thanks for coming forward but nothing can be done legally”.
I know there will be some defenders about what false accusations will do to a person but what benefit would a child have now, years later, to lie about something like that?
Particularly because she was obviously distressed and had began self-harming.
You have to experience that yourself or work constantly with victims of that kind of abuse to be able to recognize and know when they are telling the truth.
Sexual abuse impacts a child forever.
I just pray that she will realise it is not her fault, not her shame and hope that she has her mother’s support and is kept away from that man.
This behaviour is too common in this small island and the punishments for these things send the message that we don’t consider this type of crime important enough to warrant serious jail time.
Recently I am reading of the courts giving some unethical, immoral gold digger 10 years for taking money from her elderly, mentally challenged lover but cases involving sexual abuse are given less than a year and acquittals??!!
Isn’t something wrong with that picture?
Just another piece of ____ who got off because of the failings of our system.
If the young lady was indeed telling the truth about what happened, I too am heartbroken by the outcome, but try to stay on course. The judge said he was not satisfied with the evidence. It does not necessarily follow that it was the system that failed at all.
It is a sad verdict and my bias leans toward the victim. Often it seems there are repeat examples of abuse in this man’s past. More common than anyone wants to admit.
Self harming is a sign of abuse , idk man , tough call .
Sad but fair. An accusation is NOT evidence which makes it a he said she said situation.
You need to learn children, and I’m not talking teenagers which are adolescents.
Children, under 13 usually would not lie about this type of thing. They have no reason to. This girl is going to have some serious psychological issues going forward, thanks to this guy.
Tell me that good and evil doesn’t exist, and I will point you in the direction of any of our many pedophiles here on island. You got to be blind not to associate child-molesters with evil.
Parents need to buck up their bridges. Do not make anyone take away your children’s’ innocence. Protect your children from these evil monsters; there is no rehabilitation for child molesters. Zero.
This is a classic example where the English legal system falls short and we should perhaps adopt the Scottish system of an alternative verdict – “not proven”.
The English legal system is by no means perfect. I like the idea of the ‘not proven’ verdict, but I could foresee the dangers with adopting this system in a small society like Cayman. It could easily become the de facto verdict delivered by juries especially in a small community where everyone knows of everyone. Finding someone guilty is much more difficult to do when you are serving as a juror.