Jury acquits Point Fortin man of sex-offence charges

A Point Fortin man has been cleared of allegations of sexually assaulting a relative more than a decade ago.

The man, now 35, was found not guilty after a trial before Justice Tricia Hudlin-Cooper on November 5.

On a count of sexual intercourse with a minor, there was a division of eight to one. Jurors were unanimous on their indecent assault not-guilty verdict.

It was alleged, at 20, in 2009, he sexually assaulted his sister’s stepdaughter, then 12, at their home.

This was his second trial, as his first ended in a mistrial in 2019.

Prosecutors called two witnesses – the police officer who charged him and the alleged victim.

He testified and also called his sister as a witness.

The man’s attorney, Tamara Gregorio, contended the police investigation was weak, as no evidence was collected from the home, and challenged the police investigator’s contention that her station diary had been lost in a flood.

Jurors took three hours to deliberate after the judge directed them in her summation before they returned the not-guilty verdicts.