One of the other three men fingered with ex-police officer Shawn Hinds in the alleged abduction of a girl under the age of 13 appeared yesterday before Acting Chief Magistrate Melissa Robertson at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court.
Avory Scott, 34, a mason of 137 Victoria and Bee Hive Public Road, East Coast Demerara (ECD) was not required to plead to the charges of assault causing actual bodily harm, abduction and attempted rape when they were read to him.
It was alleged that between January 27 and 28 at Victoria, ECD, Scott assaulted the virtual complainant so as to cause her grievous bodily harm. On the same day also he abducted her so as to secretly confine her and allegedly had carnal knowledge of her.
Scott, when given a chance to respond, pleaded with the magistrate for mercy stating that he is very poor, has his children to maintain and a sick father to care for. According to him, he is being accused for something that he knows nothing about. “People accusing me my Worship, I don’t know about nothing,” Savory said.
He said further, “My Worship whilst walking on the road going home, I see ah young woman that seh she an she boyfriend had some problems an she aint get no way fuh guh and suh I tell she, she could stay by me fuh de night.”
“So you rescued her?” the magistrate asked and Scott replied, “Yes my Worship, but me aint do none a dem things wah duh charge say I do.”
Police Prosecutor Denise Griffith said that bail should be refused since the defendant has other matters relating to the same offences pending in other courts against him. According to Griffith, the 13-year-old was taken to Scott’s home by Shawn Hinds and she subsequently managed to escape. An alarm was raised and Scott was later arrested and charged with the offences.
The unrepresented Scott was subsequently denied bail and remanded to prison. His matter was transferred to the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court for February 19.
Shawn Hinds, 41, of 46 Joseph Pollydore Street, Lodge pleaded not guilty to the charge of abduction which stated that on January 27 at Freeman Street, East La Penitence he allegedly abducted the 13-year-old with intent to secretly confine her.
When Hinds made his appearance before the Acting Chief Magistrate on February 2 he was refused bail and remanded to prison and his matter was transferred to Court Five for February 6. When he appeared before Magistrate Hazel Octive-Hamilton at Court Five, his lawyers, Adrian Thompson and Paul Fung-A-Fat, pleaded with the magistrate to use her discretion and grant Hinds bail since he was not a flight risk. Bail was however denied and Hinds was once again remanded. He has to return to court on May 11 for the preliminary inquiry (PI).
