By PAVEL BAILEY

Tribune Staff Reporter

pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A 15-year-old boy testified yesterday that a 41-year-old man offered to pay him to watch him ejaculate at a gas station on Baillou Hill Road last year.

The teenager, whose name is being withheld, gave evidence in the attempted procuration trial of Fred Williams before Justice Guillimina Archer-Minns.

Prosecutors allege that Williams attempted to solicit sex from the then 14-year-old boy on February 22, 2024.

The complainant said that around 7.30pm that night, he was at the Rubis gas station when his friends began calling him names. He said he rode his bicycle to the nearby Shell station, where he was approached by the defendant, whom he said was wearing a Shell uniform. The teen said the area was brightly lit and he had a clear view of the man.

He said the defendant told him he had never seen him putting air in tyres there before. The teen said he replied that it was only his second time doing so.

The boy told the court the defendant said he was “a good guy” and that he gave money to children.

The defendant then asked if he had eaten, the teen said. He said he told him yes. When asked if he was still hungry, he said he replied that he was “a little bit.”

The teen said he left the Shell station, went back to Rubis for about five minutes, then returned. When he came back, the defendant approached him again with a sausage.

He said he accepted it, chewed on it briefly, but spat it out when the defendant wasn’t looking because it was cold. He said he told the man he would save the rest for later.

The complainant said the defendant then asked if he could keep a secret and asked him if he knew how to “come.” He testified that the defendant was referring to ejaculation. The teen said the defendant asked how far he could “come” and said he would give him $20 to $30.

He further claimed the defendant asked, “how far can you peel it back,” again referring to his genitals.

The boy said that at that moment, a police truck pulled up and an officer asked what was happening. Although he initially said nothing had occurred, he testified that when officers placed his bicycle in their truck, he became frightened, began crying, and told them what the defendant had done.

He said the defendant was handcuffed, and he was taken to the Grove Police Station, where officers contacted his mother. He said he told her what had happened.

The following day, the teen said he was shown a photo lineup and identified the defendant as the man who had accosted him. He also identified Williams in court.

During cross-examination by defence attorney Nathan Smith, the boy confirmed that he received a sausage and $5 during the second encounter with the defendant at the gas station.

He said he felt uncomfortable from the first approach. He agreed with Mr Smith that he was scared when police first arrived and that the defendant never physically restrained him or attempted to take him anywhere.

He also agreed that the defendant never invited him to have sexual intercourse.

The teen said he did not tell anyone about the first encounter at the time. He denied Mr Smith’s suggestion that the defendant never asked him sexually explicit questions.

He admitted he did not have permission to put air in people’s tyres at the gas station and agreed he thought he might be in trouble because he was not supposed to be there.

Mr Smith suggested his client told the boy he was not supposed to be there “harassing people.” The complainant denied this and maintained he had not lied to police about the defendant’s conduct.

Eucal Bonaby and Brent McNeil represented the prosecution.