According to the Commanding Officer for the St. Mary Police Division, Superintendent Bobette Morgan-Simpson, the parish is seeing an alarming spike in sexual offenses.

Addressing a recent monthly municipal meeting, Superintendent Morgan-Simpson stated that rape accounts for many cases.

Since the start of the year up to Thursday, October 12, 2023, there were 54 sexual offenses committed, of which 21 were cases of rape, compaired to three for the same period in 2022.

Superintendent Morgan-Simpson said the number of documented cases in the parish and the age range of those affected is distressing. 

The victims in the reported rape cases range in age from six to 61 years, while those who have been subjected to grievous sexual assault range in age from four to 11 years.

Victims whose attacker seriously injured them during reported sexual assault incidents are as young as seven up to age 43.

Superintendent Morgan-Simpson urges parents and guardians to exercise vigilance, noting that perverts target children.  

“Our little boys, little girls are in trouble because there are some perverts out there who are watching them and doing some sick things,” she warned.   

Meanwhile, Superintendent Morgan-Simpson said serious crimes in St. Mary are trending upward.

The parish has recorded 29 murders since the start of the year.

But she said the Police have been increasingly successful in solving these cases.

“We have seen an upturn in terms of the numbers. However, we also see where the clear-up rate is going up. So it means that while crimes are being committed, they are also being solved.”

Superintendent of Police. Bobette Morgan-Simpson

A fight over passengers lands one taxi driver in jail and another in hospital.

A fight, allegedly over passengers, in Linstead, St Catherine, between two taxi drivers has landed one in jail and the other nursing chop wounds.

Akeem ‘Hotmail’ Johnson, a taxi operator who was involved in a fight with a fellow cab driver on October 2, 2023, in Linstead, St Catherine, for which the Police charged him with wounding with intent, was granted bail for $200,000 by a Parish judge when he appeared before the Court on Friday, October 19, 2023.

As a condition of his bail, the Judge stipulated that Johnson, who is from Buxton, must report to the Linstead Police Station every Wednesday.

His next court appearance is December 15, 2023.

According to the authorities, on October 2, 2023, Johnson and a fellow taxi driver were “loading” their motor vehicles at the Ewarton taxi stand in Linstead when they argued over passengers. 

The accused man allegedly brought a knife into play and swung it at the complainant, who left, went home, and returned with a knife, a police report said. 

According to the police report, while the complainant was returning to the taxi stand, he saw Johnson at a section of the road called ‘Donkey Tank.’

Advertisement

The complainant stopped his vehicle on the road and reportedly approached Johnson with a knife.

Johnson allegedly pulled a machete from his car and swung it at the approaching complainant. 

The complainant reportedly put up a hand to block the blow and was chopped on the index, middle, and ring fingers. 

The Police transported him to Linstead Public Hospital, where the authorities administered triage and transferred the patient to the University Hospital of West Indies for further treatment. 

The Police launched an investigation and arrested and charged Johnson.