A landscaper in his 60s today denied fondling the breasts of one of his daughter’s friends nine years ago.
However, the now 20-year-old complainant told a nine-member jury, “that is a lie”, when the case against Thaddeus Leroy Best, of 1st Avenue, Brevitor Hall, St Peter, began in the No.5 Supreme Court this morning.
Best, who now resides in St James, is on trial after pleading not guilty to indecently assaulting the then 11-year-old girl between July 1 and 31, 2009.
The alleged victim was the first to take to the witness stand today as Senior Crown Counsel Krystal Delaney put forward the prosecution’s case.
She explained that she was in the habit of visiting her friend’s home to play. However, on the day in question, she said they were in a bedroom playing when Best, who was “laying on the bed”, sent his daughter for a glass of water.
“He come up to me and start to play with my breasts and told me if I was older he would give me some d*****,” the alleged victim said.
She left the house shortly after. However, the alleged victim said she only told her mother about the incident in August.
“It was on my mind at the time and [another] friend told me to tell my mother . . . [but] I didn’t tell my mother at first, because I was afraid,” the complainant said.
Under cross-examination, Best told his accuser: “I did not touch you” to which she replied, “that is not the truth”.
He then told her: “You and I were never alone” to which she answered, “that is a lie”.
Her mother and two officers then gave evidence before the accused gave an unsworn statement, saying he visited his daughter three to four times a week in a St Michael community.
“On the day I was accused of touching [the girl] she was nowhere at the house at that time [and] at any given time of that given month was I alone [with her in] any part of this house,” Best, who is unrepresented, said.
The case, presided over by Madam Justice Pamela Beckles, continues tomorrow when Best will call two witnesses to give evidence on his behalf.
