The Tribune

By FARRAH JOHNSON

Tribune Staff Reporter

fjohnson@tribunemedia.net

A 60-year-old man who admitted kissing a teenage girl on her lips against her will was yesterday remanded into custody pending sentencing.

Police said Vernal Munnings indecently assaulted a 15-year-old girl who he personally knew when he kissed her and told her he liked her on April 19.

Munnings initially denied doing so when he was arraigned before Chief Magistrate Joyann Ferguson-Pratt earlier this year and the matter was adjourned and transferred to Magistrate Shaka Serville.

At the start of his trial yesterday, Munnings opted to change his plea to guilty in the presence of the young girl’s parents, sister and the investigating officer who were all to give evidence against him.

The court was told that the 15-year-old went to the Criminal Investigations Department with her father to report the incident around noon on April 19. The prosecution said they told police that Munnings grabbed the minor by the neck and kissed her on her lips.

Sergeant Kenny Thompson said that after the young girl pushed him away in fear, Munnings told her that he liked her. He said this prompted the girl to run to the home of a nearby neighbour, where she contacted her mother. A few days later, Munnings was arrested and cautioned when he went to CID. When officers held a confrontation between him and the teenager in the presence of her mother, she maintained her story. When the accused was interviewed separately, he declined to comment.

Yesterday, Munnings’ attorney asked the court to consider the fact that his client was remorseful and accepted responsibility for his actions. He also asked the magistrate to temper justice with mercy and consider ordering counselling or probation, instead of imposing a custodial sentence.

Munnings’ attorney noted that the accused had worked for the government “in the presence of young people” for 27 years with no incident and insisted the matter was “out of character for him.” He also said Munnings, who is a married father of six, had known the 15-year-old for eight years and was particularly sorry for the embarrassment he caused his family.

In response, Magistrate Serville told Munnings that at his age, he should have been “armed with a particular level of restraint and maturity.” He also said the offence was especially serious as it was carried out on a minor who the accused knew personally. He said this fact caused him to wonder whether there was a “build up” to the incident.

“It was not just simply a kiss,” he said. “It is far more than that. It is a violation of a person who is of tender years in a fashion that can affect her ability to form relationships for the rest of her life.”

Magistrate Serville said he did not want to “rush the process” of sentencing and said he would defer his sentence to give himself ample opportunity to consider the facts of the case.

Munnings returns to court Friday for sentencing.

In the interim, his bail was revoked and he was remanded into custody.