TORTOLA — Police Officer Harris Walters in the BVI who was charged with two counts of indecent assault on a minor has received bail.
Harris pleaded not guilty to two counts of indecent assault when he appeared before Magistrate Ayana Baptiste-DaBreo on Monday, September 20th.
He was placed on $70,000 bail with one or two sureties.
Attorney O’Neil Simpson who represented the Crown in this matter, read the allegations to the court, which stated that the accused allegedly had two sexual encounters with the child.
According to the allegations, there was a line of contact between the complainant and the police officer during 2014 as they shared a filial relationship. The said contact allegedly continued into July 2015 and on a day unknown the child had accompanied the police officer to one of the sister islands to visit with a family friend.
It is alleged that on that occasion the accused had invited the child to accompany him to the police station on that island where he allegedly engaged in an inappropriate sexual manner with the child.
BVI Police Officer Harris Walters.
According to the allegations, later in that said month there was yet another inappropriate sexual contact with the child. In this instance the accused allegedly had the child accompany him to a hotel where he interacted with the child in a sexually inappropriate manner.
Allegations are that on the latter occasion the defendant had given the child a sum of money and some refreshments. Subsequently, the child allegedly related the incidents to her mother and a police officer.
The matter was reported to police and the child was taken to Peebles Hospital where she was examined.
The accused police officer when approached and informed about the allegations against him denied the reports. He maintained his innocence while cooperating with the police in recorded interviews, Mr Simpson related.
Walters was ordered to have absolutely no contact with the complainant personally or via any third party means and also ordered to surrender his travel documents and has to report to police every Monday, Wednesday and Friday for the duration of his court matter.
He is to return to court on November 6, 2015 and the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force has placed him on compulsory leave.
Feature Image: Police Officer Harris Walters.
Share On Facebook
Tweet It
