A police prosecutor accused of kidnapping a 13 year old girl and having sex with her on two occasions in 2016, walked free yesterday after the child said she did not want to proceed with the case and or to relive the incidents.

Crown Counsel Shannon Jones-Gittens called the teen to court to explain herself before Justice Keith Thom and, the girl indicated that she came to the decision after she spoke with her mother, counsellor and guardian. She further stated that she has forgiven the accused, and had she been in his shoes, she would have wanted to be forgiven as well.

The child, who is now a ward of the state, having been removed from her parents’ care, said she understood the seriousness of the allegations before the court which include one count of kidnapping and two counts of unlawful sexual intercourse – the latter is an offence which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison. Jones-Gittens told the court that the teen, who is now 15, also spoke with her about the matter several times and, the Director of Public Prosecutions, Anthony Armstrong had asked for the Directorate of Gender Affairs to be involved and to offer counselling to the teen.(Antigua Observer)…[+]