Police officer Walter Harris, who was found guilty of indecent assault on a minor in the Magistrate’s Court on May 29, 2024, is to be sentenced on November 27, 2024. Photo: Team of Reporters/File

Walter Harris was found guilty of having two sexual encounters with the child.

During the trial, the court heard that there was a line of contact between the complainant and the police officer in 2014 as they shared a filial relationship. The said contact continued into July 2015 and on a day unknown the child had accompanied the police officer to one of the sister islands to visit with a family friend.

On that occasion, the accused had invited the child to accompany him to the police station on that island where he engaged in an inappropriate sexual manner with the child.

According to the court, later in that said month there was yet another inappropriate sexual contact with the child. In this instance the accused allegedly had the child accompany him to a hotel where he interacted with the child in a sexually inappropriate manner.

The court also heard that on the latter occasion, the defendant had given the child a sum of money and some refreshments. Subsequently, the child allegedly related the incidents to her mother and a police officer.

The matter was reported to police and the child was taken to Dr D. Orlando Smith Hospital where she was examined.

Harris had pleaded not guilty & granted bail

When Harris appeared in court on September 20, 2015, he pleaded not guilty to two counts of indecent assault before Magistrate Ayana Baptiste-DaBreo.

He was placed on $70,000 bail with one or two sureties.

'Lock him up & throw away the keys'

The sentencing hearing on Wednesday, November 27, 2024, will be done before Senior Magistrate Tamia N. Richards.

Meanwhile, a close relative of the victim told our News Centre they were anxious to see justice served, adding that they were growing frustrated that it took about 10 years to get to this point.

“Lock him up and throw away the keys,” the still highly upset relative exclaimed.

Harris was sent on compulsory leave in 2015; however, it is unclear if he has since been terminated, as efforts to get a comment from the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force (RVIPF) were unsuccessful.