Ex-officer denies scamming vulnerable victim

(CNS): Daniel Meeks (34) denied conning a senior citizen into placing his name on her property deeds when he gave evidence on his own behalf at his trial last week. Meeks is charged with misconduct in public office. The crown alleges that he scammed a 73-year-old George Town woman into signing over half her home to him after he met her as a result of a domestic dispute call out.

Meeks was with the RCIPS for six years before his contract was not renewed following this incident. He also served as a police officer in his native Jamaica for eight years before coming to Cayman.

Despite his experience, he implied that he was merely assisting the woman, whom he had known for less than a week, because she needed help. He claimed she had wanted an honest person on the documents to protect her grandson’s inheritance because the boy has autism and she did not trust her family to ensure the property would go to him when she died.

The officer accused the woman’s daughter of turning her against the idea and causing the alleged victim to be untruthful about the chain of events. Meeks claimed that she had persuaded him, not the other way round, and because it was a private matter, there had been no need to inform his bosses, despite the requirements of the RCIPS Code of Conduct.

However, under cross examination Meeks’ defence became shaky as he failed to recall many details.

Following submissions from both defence and crown counsel, the case was adjourned Friday to allow Justice Linda Dobbs, who heard the case sitting alone without a jury, to write and deliver her decision later this week.