The Tribune

By LAMECH JOHNSON

Tribune Staff Reporter

ljohnson@tribunemedia.net

A TEEN girl told a jury yesterday how playing with friends after vacation Bible school led to a church’s handyman dragging her into a restroom and sexually assaulting her.

The 18-year-old, who was 12 at the time of the alleged incident, claimed she was asked by Leroy Adderley to go to the receptionist’s desk of the church to answer phone calls.

She followed him from the youth activity centre and made her way downstairs towards that area only to be told they would go through the sanctuary and then the kitchen.

It was then that he pulled her from the kitchen into the woman’s restroom and sexually assaulted her.

When asked by prosecutor Uel Johnson if she screamed when being pulled into the restroom, she said: “I was too fearful to.”

Adderley sat in the prisoner’s dock listening as the teen recalled the attack at vacation Bible school.

The accused, also known as Rolly Adderley, faces a charge of unlawful sexual intercourse alleged to have been committed on July 30, 2007.

It is claimed that the 48-year-old sexually assaulted the complainant in this case, who was 12 years old at the time.

Adderley, who is represented by Romona Farquharson-Seymour, denies the charge. He pleaded not guilty.

The trial opened yesterday with Prosecutor Johnson giving opening addresses to the jury and then calling the Crown’s first witness.

Detective Sergeant James Colebrooke testified that around 2pm on August 1, he was given “certain information and instructions” from Detective Sgt James Smith.

He left the Central Detective Unit for the Baptist Church in Kennedy Sub-Division where he met a fellow officer.

The officer pointed out certain things to him and Colebrooke photographed certain locations on the premises, including the foyer of the church and interior of the church restroom.

When asked by Mrs Farquharson-Seymour if he collected any samples from the restroom, Colebrooke said he was only instructed to photograph the scene.

He also said he was not aware if samples were collected from the scene.

The Crown then called the complainant to the witness stand. She recalled the day of July 30, 2007.

“That day we had vacation Bible school in church,” the teenager said, explaining that she went there with her cousins and neighbours, and participated in the activities until its conclusion at 1pm.

She said she was playing with the girls and 15 other children when she was approached by “Rolly”, the church’s handyman, who she had known for two months.

“What did he say to you?” Mr Johnson asked.

The teen said he told her “to go downstairs and answer the phone in the foyer.”

She started to go downstairs, however, he told her they would go through the sanctuary. He then took her into the kitchen before telling her “these lil n is be joking.”

“What if anything happened after that?” the prosecutor asked.

“He dragged me to the bathroom,” she said, adding that the bathroom was located in the foyer at the front of the church.

“And then what happened?” the prosecutor asked.

She then described how he sexually assaulted her.

She said it lasted for a few minutes before he walked over to the sink.

“I didn’t look to see what he was doing,” the jury was told. She said the accused made a moaning sound.

“While he was dragging you, did you scream?” Mr Johnson asked.

“I was too fearful to,” the girl answered.

“Why did you go with Mr Adderley?” the prosecutor then asked.

“Because I respected and trusted him,” she replied. After the assault, she said the accused told her not to tell anyone because he would end up in trouble. She went into the foyer for 10 minutes before he came to her and told her that her step-father was outside to take her home.

At home, she took her clothes off and saw a “white and red substance” in her underwear.

She said she could not recall what time she went to the police station.

She then went to the Princess Margaret Hospital where she was examined and samples were taken from her.

She told the inquiring prosecutor that she didn’t think it was necessary to tell the two other women in the foyer or her step-father what had happened.

The incident was reported to police on the same day.

In cross-examination, Mrs Farquharson-Seymour suggested to the complainant that on the day in question, she and two other girls were teasing her instructor at the school who had an accent.

The teen girl denied the suggestion.

“I further suggest that teacher made a complaint, in your presence, in front of all the children, to Mr Adderley that you were being unruly,” the lawyer said, adding that the teacher was crying while doing so.

“I don’t recall all of that,” she replied.

“You don’t recall the full events of that morning? How Mr Adderley spoke to you?” the lawyer asked.

“No,” the girl answered. 

“I suggest Mr Adderley told you to leave the class and go with the two girls to the reception area as a form of punishment,” Mrs Farquharson-Seymour said.

“No it was not!” the complainant answered.

The lawyer suggested further that Adderley never went with her to the foyer. The teen denied the suggestion.

“I suggest to you four or five other adults were there as well,” the lawyer said.

“All the adults had already left,” the teen said.

“You were dragged and you didn’t make a sound?” the lawyer asked.

“No, ma’am” the girl answered.

Mrs Farquharson-Seymour asked her where her legs were positioned when the alleged assault occurred. She said she was standing with her feet on the ground during the encounter.

“I suggest you’re not being truthful. What do you say to my suggestion?” the attorney asked.

“It’s absurd,” the teen answered.

“What you’re saying is absurd, isn’t it?” the lawyer asked. The complainant disagreed.

“Your step-father is a policeman isn’t he?” the lawyer asked. The girl said he was.

“And you said nothing to him?” the lawyer asked.

“No, ma’am,” the teenager said.

“I suggest you said nothing because it wasn’t true. Rolly did nothing to you,” the lawyer suggested. The girl disagreed.

Mrs Farquharson-Seymour asked her about her statement to police when she told them that she had experience about condoms.

The teen, however, said she gained this knowledge from school. The lawyer suggested that the school she attended did not give sex education to students below ninth grade.

“I learned of condoms in science class,” the teen retorted.

“I suggest to you, you were quite fresh at 12,” the lawyer said.

“Did you know me at age 12?” the teenager asked. Her response prompted Justice Vera Watkins to ask her to answer the question appropriately.

“No, I do not,” the teen replied.

“I suggest you’re not telling the truth when you say Mr Adderley sexually assaulted you on that day. Do you agree with my suggestion?” the lawyer asked.

“No, ma’am,” she answered.

The trial resumes today.