Head of Criminal Investigations, Acting Chief Inspector Alexis Charles says that as children across the Territory are now out of school, he is concerned that they may become more vulnerable to these types of crimes. He reminds the public that Police and the courts deal with these matters severely.

Two men appeared in the Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday July 8 before Senior Magistrate Valerie Stephens charged with having sex with underage girls in two different incidences and were each granted bail.

In the first case, Lambert Dave Anderson, a Jamaican residing at Carrot Bay, is charged with the offence of having Unlawful Sexual Intercourse with a 13year old girl. He was represented by Attorney at law Mr. Herbert McKenzie.

The charge was read to him, but he was not required to plea to the indictable charge.

Prosecutor Inspector Jefferson Knight told the Court that it alleged that the 37 year old accused had sex with the 13 year old girl in a motor car on the May 24, 2008 sometime during the night.

According to reports, relatives were made aware of the incident after the teen started showing signs of pregnancy.

Anderson was granted bail in the sum of $15,000.00 signed with one surety. He is to surrender his passport to the Police Prosecution Department, and he was ordered not to have contact with the underage virtual complainant.

In the other case, Bobetion Forbes Lyght, a Guyanese, residing at Main Street Road Town, is charged with the offence of having Unlawful Sexual Intercourse with a 14-year -old girl. He was represented by Attorney at Law Mr. Herbert McKenzie.

The charge was read to him, but he was not required to enter a plea to the Indictable charge.

Prosecutor Inspector Jefferson Knight told the court that it is alleged that the 21-year-old accused man had sex with the teen inside the bedroom of his apartment sometime during the day of July 2, 2008.

Lyght was granted bail in the sum of $20,000.00 signed with one surety. He is to surrender his passport to the Police Prosecution Department, and he was ordered to stay away from the 14-year-old virtual complainant.

Both cases were adjourned to the August 22, 2008 for Preliminary Inquiry.

Meanwhile, the police are also probing a third case involving two minors: a 14-year-old girl and a 17-year-old boy relating to a similar offence.

Head of Criminal Investigations, Acting Chief Inspector Alexis Charles says that as children across the Territory are now out of school, he is concerned that they may become more vulnerable to these types of crimes. He reminds the public that Police and the courts deal with these matters severely.

“All three cases are very serious. If found guilty the consequences of these illegal actions for the perpetrators could be as much as 14 years in prison,” he says.

Prosecutor Acting Inspector Jefferson Knight has a word of advice for perpetrators who say they were not knowledgeable about the age of their victims. “Ignorance is no excuse. If you can not verify an age of the individual, quickly move on,” he said.

Parents are also asked to be on the look out for adults who are particularly solicitous and concerned their school-aged children. 

Investigations of crimes against minors are generally handled by the Family and Juvenile Department in the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force. For more information please contact Inspector Jacqueline Vanterpool or Constable Derick Ambrose at 494-3822 ext. 5316 or 5317 or Laurel Freeman in the Family and Children Services Unit in the Social Development Department at 494-3431.

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