Accused says he was making life ‘better’ for alleged victim

The prosecution suggested today that a police officer groomed a teenage girl, whom he stands accused of raping.

This came during Senior Crown Counsel’s Oliver Thomas’ cross examination of police constable Jason Andre Callender after he gave his testimony. The resident of  6th Avenue, Durant’s Village, St James denies that he had sexual intercourse with the girl without her consent between June 1 and October 7, 2010 and he also denies committing an act of serious indecency against her between October 6 and 7, 2010.

Thomas today suggested to the accused that the girl was just a child when the 26-year-old first met the teenager at “15-16”.

The exchange became heated as the prosecutor further questioned Callender about whether “teen” had any designation under the law. The accused said he didn’t know all the laws but knew that someone who was 16 could give consent to sexual intercourse.

The prosecution also suggested that though Callender denied having anal sex, his girlfriend had to curse him to get him to stop doing it which he denied. The officer dismissed claims that he said he would get back at his girlfriend [the complainant’s sister] for sleeping with another man.

Thomas further suggested Callender was aware the girl was in a vulnerable position after suspected abuse from her mother and that was why he invited her to stay with him.

“I was informed about how her mother use to treat her yes… vulnerable I don’t think so because I was trying to make something better for her,” the officer said.

“You planned from the time you witnessed [the girl’s] mother speaking to her in that way you had planned to get [her] at all costs,” Thomas suggested.

“That’s not true sir,” Callender replied.

“Because she had nowhere to go you took advantage of that fact,” Thomas charged.

“Not true… could have gone to her grandmother…she said she wanted to stay there,” Callender replied.

In addition, Thomas told Callender he was lying about the girl making advances toward him and that the girl trusted him but never wanted to have sex with him. He refuted these claims including the rape accusations.

“You have fabricated your evidence in court,” the prosecutor said, to which Callender replied: “No I told the truth and will continue telling the truth. If I wanted to fabricate I would’ve lied and say I didn’t have sex with her.”

In the girl’s evidence, she said that during an argument about dvds she said “You took my virginity, what is a DVD?”. However, Callender said this was never said by the complainant. He however maintained that the only thing the girl said was that if she had to leave his house she would complain that he raped her.

The accused further denied that he attended her sports day, giving her gifts and money to gain her trust.

Thomas told Callender that he took advantage of the fact that she was very young and went with her to school sports to groom the school girl.

“I know within myself I did not rape, abuse or blackmail her,” he said, denying that he kept nude pictures on his phone to get revenge and to embarrass the girl.

The case continues in No. 5A Supreme Court on Wednesday before Justice Christopher Birch. Attorney-at-law Samuel Legay is representing the police officer.