The Tribune

By NICO SCAVELLA

Tribune Staff Reporter

nscavella@tribunemedia.net

THE teenage girl at the heart of an unlawful sexual intercourse allegation against a police reservist yesterday told a court that the claims against the accused in her statement to police are not true.

The teenager, testifying by video link before Justice Cheryl Grant-Thompson, denied telling police about any sexual acts allegedly committed against her by Reserve Sergeant Dwayne Decosta.

In fact, the 14-year-old said the contents of her July 2018 statement to police are "incorrect".

The teenager said although she signed her statement, she did not read it over before she signed, and neither was it read back to her by the interviewing officer. She also said she didn't sign the document truthfully.

The admission came moments after she doubled down on her previous testimony that "nothing" happened between her and Decosta at the South Beach Police Station in July of last year.

However, she did acknowledge she told police that at one point while at the station, an officer alleged to be Decosta called her from the foyer and directed her to a room upstairs at the rear of the building.

The 14-year-old's testimony came during Decosta's trial alleging he had unlawful sexual intercourse with her on July 14, 2018 in the precincts of the South Beach Police Station.

The 14-year-old previously testified that on the date in question, she was at her grandmother's house where her mother also lives. She said she stayed there until 6am.

The girl, who was 13 at the time, said at some point, she poured water in her mother's bedroom. Her mother subsequently took her to her father's house, dropped her there and drove off. The girl said she was there until sometime after six.

At some point, her father's neighbour saw her and took her to the South Beach Police Station. She said when she got there, she was instructed to sit down. Meanwhile, she said her father's neighbour gave a report to the police then left.

Previously, the Crown showed the teenager a video captured from the police station's surveillance cameras. In that video, which captured the foyer area and the station's glass front doors leading outside, a female could be seen being escorted into the station by an officer, who points to a chair in which she eventually sits.

Yesterday, the teenager said she identified herself "sitting down" in that clip.

Crown prosecutor Jacqueline Burrows then walked the teenager through the statement she gave to police on that day. She confirmed that she told police that while inside the building, an officer wearing navy blue, alleged to be Decosta, approached her. She initially denied telling police that the officer called her outside, but then told the prosecutor that an officer did in fact call her outside.

The teenager went on to confirm that she told police that Decosta told her to go to the rear of the building, which she said she did. She confirmed that she told police that Decosta followed her to the rear of the building before instructing her to take a flight of stairs. She said she told police that Decosta was behind her the entire time.

The 14-year-old said she told police that Decosta instructed her to open and proceed through a particular door, which she said she did. She agreed that her statement had her as saying that the officer took her in one of the rooms in that area.

However, when asked if she told police that Decosta asked her if she had ever had sex before, she said no. She also denied telling police that Decosta told her to get on her knees, and denied telling them that she did so.

The teenager also denied telling police that Decosta subsequently unzipped his pants, pulled out his penis, and pushed her head towards it. She also denied telling police he grabbed the side of her head and made her perform oral sex for about three minutes.

The teenager also denied telling police that Decosta fondled her. She also denied telling police that she asked him to stop, but he didn't.

The eighth-grader also denied telling police that Decosta said he would pay her to have sex with him, and that she consequently denied his offer. When asked by the prosecutor what if anything she told Decosta when he allegedly made his offer, she said "nothing".

The teenager further denied telling police she asked Decosta to stop, which he eventually did. She also denied telling police that the man told her to go back to where she was seated in the foyer, and denied telling officers she did so and left him upstairs. However, she admitted telling police she later saw Decosta downstairs speaking with another officer.

The 14-year-old also denied telling police that after the alleged incident, a female officer tried to offer her something to eat, and that she refused. The teenager also denied telling police that she told the female officer what Decosta allegedly did to her.

The teenager denied telling police that the officer who assaulted her was dark, slim and tall, and that she would be able to identify him if she saw him again.

When asked if whatever is contained in her statement is correct and/or true, the teenager looked away from the camera to her left, scratched the back of her head and said: "Incorrect".

The teenager, in response to a question by the prosecutor, confirmed that she gave her statement the same day as the alleged incident. However, when it was put to her that the contents of the statement were fresh in her mind, she started twirling her hair, shrugged and flippantly said "I don't know".

When the prosecutor suggested that she was being dishonest to the court, and asked what her response was to such an assertion, the girl said "nothing".

The case continues.