Magistrate Dismisses 13-Year-Old Case Involving Indecent Assault Charge
June 6, 2024
Thirteen years after allegedly intending to plead guilty to an indecent assault charge, Jerry Ricardo Whittaker denies his previous statement, leading to the dismissal of the 13-year-old case by Justice Laurie-Ann Smith-Bovell.
Thirteen years ago Jerry Ricardo Whittaker apparently told a magistrate he intended to plead guilty to an indecent assault charge when his matter was sent to the High Court.
And he signed his name to it. Yesterday, Whittaker denied he had told the magistrate such a thing or that he had signed the deposition stating such when he appeared in the No. 4 Supreme Court.
However, Justice Laurie-Ann Smith-Bovell dismissed the 13-yearold matter, calling the long wait “an abuse of process”.
“There can be no excuse that this matter should be coming to the court 13 years after you would have indicated that you wanted to plead guilty,” the judge added. (HLE)
