Don’t waste our time with false child abuse claims

NALINEE SEELAL

Members of the Child Protection Unit (CPU) are warning estranged parents not to use their children to make false reports of sexual abuse to get full custody of their child or children.

Police said yesterday they were observing a trend for estranged couples with children to make false reports that the fathers had committed sexual acts against the child or children, but in many instances the information turned out to be false and the children, when interviewed, admitted they were told by their other parent to make the allegations.

Police said because making a false report to the police is statute-barred, people cannot be charged as the police can only make arrests during a six-month period.

CPU officers also said when an allegation is made by one parent against another and a child or children are used to make the allegation, there is a process which investigators have to follow which takes a lengthy period, and at the end of the investigation, when it is determined that the report is false, the six months may have passed.

They also called on parents to stop using children to make false allegations because they felt this could also psychologically affect the children.

They referred to an incident in the Eastern Division in which a Sangre Grande woman had reported to that her daughter had been sexually assaulted. After extensive investigations the matter was referred to the DPP, who ruled there was insufficient evidence to charge the perpetrator.

Police said there are many other similar cases and CPU officers work hand in hand with the Children’s Authority to ensure that alleged perpetrators are prosecuted when there are sufficient grounds.

The Central, South Western and Eastern Divisions were named as the three divisions as having recorded the highest number of sexual-abuse cases against children last year.

Yesterday Insp Beverly Paul of the Child Protection Unit issued a stern warning to parents involved in custody battles: “Do not use children, because it affects them psychologically and emotionally.” She insisted, however, that parents found guilty of such acts would be charged.

A lot of times either parent make reports and when you enquire there is a custody battle. Officers do their investigation and on several occasions the information turns out to be false. Inspector Paul is of the view that the laws governing wasteful employment of the police should be reviewed and the six-month period allowed for police officers to charge be removed completely.