Former Bishops’ High School teacher, Coen Jackson, has now been cleared of all remaining sexual assault charges against him, after the virtual complainant informed the court that she was withdrawing the allegations.
This is according to a press release from Jackson’s battery of attorneys led by Nigel Hughes; which said that “Mr. Jackson is relieved that his position has been vindicated.”
When the matter was called yesterday, trial Judge Priya Sewnarine-Beharry directed the jury to formally return unanimous verdicts of not guilty, since the young woman indicted that she was no longer pursuing the matters.
Yesterday’s acquittal follows the earlier trial in 2022 when Coen Jackson was found not guilty by a jury at the conclusion of a trial of the charge of engaging in sexual activity with a child of the age 16 years by abusing a position of trust.
“Mr. Jackson would like to express his heartfelt appreciation and gratitude to those members of the staff and students of The Bishops’ High School, the Ministry of Education, members of the public and several well-wishers who stood by him during this difficult time” his lawyers said in the release.
Jackson had in an earlier civil suit secured an award of damages in the sum of $5,000,000 for defamation of character against Ruel Johnson who had accused him of preying on the virtual complainant while she was a student.
Background
Back in February of last year, Jackson was acquitted on one of four counts of allegedly engaging in sexual activity with the young woman in 2011; but faced retrial on the other three counts.
The jury was deadlocked in a proportion of nine not guilty—and three guilty.
He had, however, been acquitted on the fourth count in a proportion of 11 to 1.
Those remaining indictments against the ex-teacher stated that on three separate occasions—in February, March and April of 2011—he engaged in sexual activity with the then 16-year-old girl by abusing a position of trust.
He was charged with sexual activity with a child by abusing a position of trust, contrary to Section 18 (3) (b) (ii) of the Sexual Offences Act; which defines a child for the purposes of that offence, as being under 18 years.
The prosecution’s facts alleged that the abuse of the young lady who was at the time preparing to write her Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) exams, began when the teacher invited her over to his house under the pretext of watching a movie.
That film, prosecutors said, actually turned out to be pornography.
On that and the other two occasions, the court had heard that Jackson sexually assaulted the young lady at his house.
The proceedings were heard in-camera at the Sexual Offences Court of the High Court in Demerara.
