By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

THE best friend of a 14-year-old boy who was allegedly sexually assaulted by a 45-year-old man told the Supreme Court the teenager cried after confiding to her about the assault.

While giving her testimony yesterday, the witness also broke down and cried as she recalled the moment at school when the boy told her what had happened to him.

According to her testimony, on November 30, 2017 at 11am while they were in mathematics class, she noticed the boy was upset.

During break-time, they went for a walk and she asked him what was wrong. After he told her what had happened, she said they both started crying.

Fred Williams, 45, of West End, Grand Bahama, is accused of unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor of the same sex between October and November 2016, through February 2017 and November 2017. He is on bail and is represented by Carlson Shurland.

The prosecution called several witnesses yesterday, including a student and three police officers. The trial opened on Monday before a nine member jury.

According to the student, she had known the complainant for three years and both are in the same grade. She said that after he told her what happened, the bell rang and they went to French class, where he gave her a not on a folder sheet, written in black ink.

“Have you seen that type of writing before?” asked prosecutor Erica Kemp. “Whose writing it was?”

The witness became very emotional and started crying and turned her back to jurors to conceal her emotions. Senior Justice Estelle Gray Evans gently asked the witness if she was okay and to turn around. She removed a napkin from her skirt pocket and wiped away the tears.

She said the writing on the paper was that of the boy.

Mrs Kemp asked, “Did you read the letter?”

“Yes, ma’am,” the witness replied.

“That’s why you are crying?” asked Mrs Kemp.

“Yes,” the witness said.

“What happened with the note?” Mrs Kemp asked.

“I gave it back to him and he tore it up,” the witness said.

During cross-examination, Mr Shurland asked the witness if she would do anything to help her friend, even lie.

“No, sir,” she said.

“Everything you told was the truth?” he asked.

“Yes,” the witness replied.

Mr Shurland questioned the girl about the colour of the ink on the letter. “You said the note was written in black ink?”

“Yes,” she replied.

He asked her if the complainant tore it up and the girl said “yes”.

On Tuesday, the prosecution had entered the reported letter as evidence in court.

Also giving evidence yesterday was Police Constable 3698 Linford Sands, an officer attached to the West End Police Station, who arrested the accused on December 1, 2017.

The officer said he went to A&B Convenient Store in West End, where he informed Williams about an unlawful sexual intercourse complaint and placed him under arrest and cautioned him.

Constable Sands identified Williams and pointed to the defendant in court. He said that after he arrested the accused, Williams told him he had some keys on him for the shop and he wanted to give them to someone.

He said he put Williams in a police vehicle and took him to the police station.

During cross-examination, Mr Shurland asked the police officer how far the bus stop was at the entrance of West End to the police station. The officer said it was about four miles when travelling on the front road or Bayshore Road.

Mr Shurland suggested the distance was not even two miles. “No, I do not accept it,” Officer Sands said.

Mr Shurland also asked Constable Sands whether he had received a report of a sexual complaint at the station in November 2017.

Officer Sands said he had never received a sexual complaint against Williams during the five years he was attached at the West End Police Station.

During re-examination, Ms Kemp asked the officer: “In reference to the sexual report at West End Police Station, how many officers are attached there?”

Constable Sands said 20 officers are attached at the station.

Constable 3516 Demetrius Taylor said on December 10, 2017 he went to Bahama Beach, West End, at about 5.25pm and arrested Williams at his residence.

When asked who was also at the residence with Williams, the officer said a man who is known as the owner of A&B Convenient Store.

Constable Taylor identified the defendant in court as the man he arrested in Bahama Beach.

Police Sergeant 2706 Corey Rolle, an officer attached to Traffic Police Station, told the court on November 30, 2017 he received a phone call around 6pm from the mother of the complainant who gave him certain information.

Sgt Rolle said he went to a residence in Eight Mile Rock. When he got there, the mother of the boy handed him a letter with some information on it. He said he also spoke with the boy who gave him certain information.

He said he advised them to make a formal complaint to the Central Detective Unit, which they did.

“Can you describe the letter that was handed to you; on what was it written?” asked Ms Kemp.

Sgt Rolle said that it was a handwritten letter that he could identify because it had a signature on it which he dated November 30, 2017.

“You had the opportunity to read the letter?” asked Mr Shurland. “Yes,” Sgt Rolle replied.

The trial continues.

Senior Justice Estelle Gray Evans is presiding over the matter.