By DENISE MAYCOCK
Tribune Freeport Reporter
dmaycock@tribunemedia.net
A MAN on trial in Grand Bahama denied having sex with a 13-year-old girl who was found in the back seat of his vehicle with her pants down on April 13, 2021.
Hayward Dorsett is on trial in the Supreme Court for the rape of a minor and possession of child pornography.
It is alleged that between April 13 and April 14, 2021, he had sex with a minor in the backseat of his vehicle. He was also allegedly found with nude photos and videos of the minor on his cellular phone.
The accused took the witness stand yesterday.
According to evidence, Dorsett repeatedly harassed the 13-year-old for sex in text messages through a Facebook account under the name Lamont Johnson.
The accused said he had used that account for two weeks.
He told the virtual complainant that someone had sent him nude photos and a video of her.
In a message on April 5, Dorsett told the teen he wanted to have sex with her, but she told him she was not interested.
The accused made a request for sex again in a text message on April 6, but the teen said no.
After she persistently refused his advances for sex, Dorsett started to threaten the girl.
Dorsett told the court he had threatened to post the nude photos and video of the teen that were on his phone if she tried to block him and if she did not have sex with him.
Dorsett was 19 years old at the time. He said he did not know that the virtual complainant was 13 years old.
In cross-examination, prosecutor Ashley Carroll asked Dorsett about the text message on Facebook on April 6 at 12.45pm when the teen told him that she was 13.
The prosecutor asked Dorsett about a message he sent to the teen on April 7, at 8.30pm that read: “You running me hot right now, I giving you until 9pm, I swear.” The teen replied at 8.31pm that she was not feeling well and that she had the flu.
Dorsett said he did not recall that.
The prosecutor read a reply message in which the teen asked Dorsett, “Why you doing this to me? I am only in grade seven.”
She said the teen also told Dorsett that she would kill herself if the nude photos and videos of her were released.
In response to the teen’s message, the prosecutor suggested that he had texted: “I ain’t care no more still. I ain’t feel sorry for you no more.”
Prosecutor Carroll suggested that on April 8 Dorsett continued texting the teen begging the girl to have sex with him and continued to threaten to post the photos.
“Yes, ma’am,” he admitted.
A Facebook text message was sent to the teen on April 8 at 7.57pm by Dorsett, threatening to post the nude photos if she did not answer his text.
At 9.12pm, the teen responded, sending a text asking Dorsett to leave her alone.
Prosecutor Carroll asked Dorsett about the text message he sent on April 11 at 10.30am. It read: “If you give me what you tell me you gone give me, I would not be doing this.”
“You meant sex?” she asked.
“Yes,” Dorsett replied.
Ms Carroll suggested that Dorsett continued to harass the teen until April 13. He agreed with her.
He said he called her around 9.38pm on April 13. The teen told him she was getting her hair done. He called her again around 11.45pm and asked if she was finished.
The teen said “yeah.” He messaged the teen and asked if he could come by.
The teen told him she was sleeping at her grandmother’s residence. Dorsett said he told the teen he was coming to that location.
Dorsett told the teen to jump in the backseat. He said the teen asked for his phone. He was sitting in the front seat. He gave it to her. He went in the back seat to see what she was doing with his phone.
He said the teen deleted the photos and video of herself from his phone.
While they were in the backseat, the teen’s aunt came outside with a flashlight.
Prosecutor Carroll asked Dorsett if he went there for sex. He replied, “yes.”
Dorsett claimed that the teen had pulled down her pants, but not all the way. He denied that they had sex.
The prosecutor suggested to Dorsett: “You climbed in the backseat and pulled down your pants and inserted your penis in her vagina.”
“No, ma’am,” said Dorsett.
The prosecutor then asked Dorsett about the evidence given by his friend Kiano, who told the court that the accused told him the teen begged him to stop because it was hurting.
Ms Carroll told Dorsett that neither he nor his attorney had challenged Kiano’s evidence in court.
Justice Andrew Forbes is presiding over the case, which is before a jury of five women and nine men.
K Brian Hanna is representing Dorsett. Ms Carroll and Erica Culmer Curry are appearing on behalf of the Crown.
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