Pageant queen guilty of assault and all other charges
(CNS): The reigning Miss Universe Cayman Islands, Tiffany LeAnn Conolly (24), from West Bay, has been convicted of six criminal counts of assault, damage to property and disorderly conduct. The guilty verdicts were delivered Thursday by Magistrate Philippa McFarlane, who said the case against Conolly was “overwhelming”. The pageant queen had denied assaulting her former lover, his father and a police officer and damaging two cars during a chaotic night in October 2021, claiming self-defence.
But McFarlane, who presided over the trial last year, said she did not find Conolly’s evidence credible. “Your evidence was not plausible to me,” she told the young woman directly as she delivered her ruling.
In contrast, McFarlane said that the father of Conolly’s former boyfriend was “an excellent witness” and there was no aspect that caused concern about the credibility of his evidence. She told Conolly there was no doubt in her mind that she had assaulted him.
In addition, the magistrate said, the CCTV footage from the Fairbanks detention centre where Conolly was taken after her arrest and where she assaulted a police officer helped confirm in her mind that she was also guilty of that offence. “I saw a young person who was combative, belligerent and volatile,” she said.
Addressing the defence arguments that Conolly was dealing with mental health challenges and that she was mistreated by the police, the magistrate pointed out that the officers had no indication at the time that Conolly was dealing with a mental health episode, and there was no evidence of this during the trial.
She said Conolly was being booked into a police custody suite, not a hotel, but from the get-go she had been obstructive and determined to make the process as difficult as possible, giving glib answers to questions and swearing at the officers.
The CCTV captured Conolly throwing a chair around the detention centre and an altercation between her and the police officer whom she was accused of punching in the face. While that assault was not clear on the CCTV evidence, given the rest of the footage coupled with the officer’s evidence, the magistrate said she was satisfied that Conolly was guilty on the counts of assaulting a police officer and disorderly conduct.
A social inquiry and victim impact statement was ordered by the court and Conolly was bailed to return on 20 April for sentencing. The court also made note of a previous conviction that had not been recorded by the court at the time, but an order relating to that case was still in place and was now breached as a result of this conviction.
Conolly had been suspended from public appearances in relation to her title as Miss Cayman Islands and did not attend the Miss Universe Pageant. She was replaced at that pageant by Chloe Powery-Doxey, who is still considered the first runner-up.
CNS has contacted both the tourism ministry, which helps fund the local pageant, and the Miss Universe Cayman Committee about whether or not Conolly will finally be stripped of her crown and the title passed to Powery. We have also asked about the prizes given to Conolly and whether she will be allowed to keep the CI$70,000 annual scholarship that comes with the title.
Those questions have not been addressed but the ministry released a short joint statement from it and the Miss Universe Committee which merely said: “The Ministry of Tourism and Miss Cayman Islands Universe Committee are aware of the Summary Court ruling in the criminal case pertaining to our reigning Miss Cayman Universe, Miss Tiffany Conolly. The Committee along with the Franchisee in consultation with the Miss Universe Organisation, will explore the available options, pursuant to, inter alia, the Contract between Miss Connolly, the Committee and the Franchisee.”
- Fascinated
- Happy
- Sad
- Angry
- Bored
- Afraid
Kenneth will continue to fight tooth and nail for her because he has no respect for authority or laws!
Thank you CNS for keeping it clean and classy. What CMR and Sandra are doing to this woman is disgusting. Tiffany clearly has mental health issues and CMR are going to the extreme to destroy her.
She is guilty and should be held accountable for her crimes, but she is also suffering from serious mental health issues and for a “Media House” to wage a smear campaign against a mentally ill person says a lot for CMR and her values.
Mental Health is one of the Premiers personal community concerns and for him to continue to support CMR while she victimises people like this is beyond me.
Says a lot about his sincerity and honestly. That was a match made in hell!
If mental health issues caused her to behave like that, she’s not guilty. I for one doubt they did.
I hope CMR stops their disgusting bullying at this point. it’s genuinely horrendous to watch
So does this now put Cayman on the Miss Universe and Miss World blacklists? It definitely should. Shut this crap down now!
I hope, Ms Tiffany, you understand that society has a set of laws by which to abide. You’re young. Don’t let this get the best of you! Rise up. Understand you ARE guilty in the eyes of the law. Show everyone that you get it. Be humble. Be quiet as a mouse.
The law CAN be your nemesis.
Ask Sandra Hill about her own struggles with the law…..
https://caymannewsservice.com/2023/02/hill-alleges-victimisation-in-face-of-latest-criminal-charges/
Isn’t Heather Bodden MP on the Miss Cayman Committee and also Parliamentary Secretary with responsibility for certain tourism subjects including Miss Cayman ?
Heather is there representing for Wayne.
And what is that mean? She can not do anything unless instructed to do so.
Justice served and committee and minister looking like baffoons. AS USUAL!!!
How hard was this to have simply disqualified her from the start. You DAMN FOOLS made us look like IDIOTS on the world stage. You cannot think for yourself??
Anonymous commenter calling people “baffoons” while attempting to disparage them – priceless.
says another anonymous commenter 🙄
Did you say ‘IDIOTS on the world stage?’
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=WUWrsEOXotA
Never gets old 😉
Clown Planet
https://youtu.be/ZdDFmKfieuk
Tiffany is featured at 0.33 sec of video
The punishment will be very very soft. The misogynistic society of the Cayman islands will be sure she doesnt get equal punishment as her counterparts.
Don’t be so sure. This is her 3rd-time assaulting officers.
These pageants are so classy. So no she presumably can’t get a visa waiver to travel does she have to give the “education” grant back?
👏🏼 This further tarnishes Cayman’s image.
Lol impossible
We’re trying. Just need to be more creative.
Sad that this could have been avoid … ALL THEY DID WAS MADE HER ACTIONS PUBLICIZE … not good image for Cayman.
The Miss Universe Committee is to be blamed for this mess!
The whole committee should be sacked and PACT should ask Bryan to explain and he be made to resign his post.
Never going to happen!
cayman cannot go 5 minutes without making itself an international laughing stock….
You must not read any other country’s news then; as if the USA has not had even more pageant queen controversy that this
When you have clowns running the show…..
This is very sad really. The public disgrace could have been avoided. The government should never have allowed this obviously troubled young woman to enter the contest. Instead, reports indicate that Minister Bryan and DOT did the contrary and encouraged the Committee to accept her, despite known reports of her unacceptable behaviour. Then the backpedaling began with attempts to place all blame on the Committee. Bad behaviour all around! What a double national disgrace. Very, very sad.
True, but interestingly, Minister Bryan has been convicted a few times of worse, yet no public outcry for his removal as Minister or MP, nor for the removal of any of the other crooks residing in the very sacred chamber where our laws and regulations are drafted and created. Let’s be honest about prevailing standards of behaviour for representatives of our territory – they are several echelons beyond relaxed.
His assault case was him defending an off duty police officer from an abusive boyfriend. Not the same as this – plus it was him cursing at police not boxing them in the face.
Lots of differences!
No difference. Assault is assault. Selling cocaine is selling cocaine.
I agree with you 11:59 am. However, don’t forget that Bryan, nor any of the other undesirables you refer to, would be in the positions they are in were it not for an abundance of ignorance in the voting community!
Nah, got a full breakdown this morning and one thing with CMR, she’s fair. The Committee and Ministry can all take the blame, but the Committee KNEW from July – the evidence was provided today to prove that.
Convicted ? Aha, now she can justifiably stand for election and join the other criminals in parliament.
Indeed she can. As long as she doesn’t get more than 12 months in jail, absolutely no barrier to her doing so. And who would be brave enough to stand against her lol.
A few hours of community service and some probation. Maybe she’ll volunteer to serve those hours on the pageant Board? Welcome to Cayman.
She can join any of the parties, or run as an independent. So many options!
any comment kenneth?….another bad day at the office…
another humiliation…
No, he’s had worse days. Have you seen his own resumé?
Let’s take a poll.
Would you rather a bellicose beauty queen for a year or a drug peddling MP for four years.
Another private sector run committee strikes again.
Politically appointed boards and committed simply don’t work.
Pact please get out of the pageant business.
McKeeva was a better minister of tourism, and played the Miss Cayman card better than anyone else.
PPM should have gotten out too!
None of the above!
Beauty pageants? Really? Did we burn our bra’s for nothing?
Never mind, I’ll get back to cooking his dinner.
don’t bother you will probably burn it…maybe go do some ironing?
Dear Kenny…
With a previous criminal conviction she should never have been allowed into the competition in the first place. The very basic we should ask of our representatives is that they are not criminals.
Oh hold on though, how many of our elected representatives have ever received a charge?
Caymanians – the most heavily corrupted and convicted people in the world.
“Caymanians – the most heavily corrupted and convicted people in the world.” show me the proof please.
probably now because every nationality wants a Cayman passport
No such thing exists
you might want to have a look at the front of your “cayman passport” and see what it says.
It’s all right in front of you. Carepay, Gasboy, this fiasco, stealing fill from public projects, CIFA, Jeff webb, Canover Watson, Bush’s free condo, PR giveaway. Brac driveway paving, wide open numbers racket—that’s just what I can remember on the spur of the moment. Everything is crooked because that’s the normal thing in Cayman.
Northward guest list.
Wow. Ministry of Tourism and Miss Cayman Islands committee digging their heels in about this and now look at the embarrassment this has caused. She should never have been allowed to compete full stop. Now they are already looking for new contestants for this year’s pageant and she hasn’t even been able to conduct herself as the winner of the pageant.
A conviction that will tarnish her for life and potential boyfriends will run for the hills. What a waste.
She’s better off moving elsewhere and start over
Not the USA though …
She’ll be fine. Lots of honourable company here, convicted of worse. Cayman has amnesia and doesn’t apply character standards to its own.
Waiting on decisive action from
The PACT Government! Miss Cayman is funded by tax payers money. Are we going
To continue funding them while a convicted person holds the crown ?
Oh wait they are busy passing death sentences on cats and chickens
At least Wayne’s ministry doesnt constantly use the ‘Buffering…’ excuse
What – they let her keep the money and scholorship?
Say it ain’t so Minister Bryan!
Don’t forget she also got 3500 a month to “intern”. Bet that’s not getting paid back either.
It all depends on how many votes will be lost or gained is the prerequisite to the next step. Right Kenny..?
Dat wha’ you get.
Don’t gloat on anyones downfall
Agreed.
As horrible as her behavior was, I’d like to think that she can address those issues and learn from her mistakes.
She has a lot of life in front of her and I hope that she becomes a contributing member of society, even if it takes several years.
Yes and the committee is keeping her as Miss Cayman
She’s had years of doing the same behavior and because of enablers has gotten no real help for anger issues.
On the plus side, she is now fully qualified to apply for a position as speaker of the house!
How true!
What a shame.She should been disqualified and her crown taking away from the time she was charged. Cayman sure is not what it used be. Everything changed for the worst. The 1990’s was the best there was and the best it will ever be for Cayman.
it’s “taken away”
“tooked” actually.
Champion illiterate past participle would be “done tooked”, but “worst”/“worse” error done grate worster.
Don’t stretch things too far, you’ll loose your audience.