Latest update November 29th, 2024 1:00 AM
PI into Bishops’ teacher sexual offence to commence today
Charged: Coen Jackson
The Preliminary Inquiry (PI) into the allegations of sexual misconduct against a former Bishops’ High School teacher, Coen Jackson, will commence today before Principal Magistrate Judy Latchman.
Two months ago, Jackson, 39, appeared before Senior Magistrate Leron Daly, and was not required to plead to the indictable charge which alleged that between December 2010 and May 2011, at D’Urban Street, Lodge, he engaged in sexual activity with a child under the age of 16 by abusing his position of trust.
Jackson who is currently being represented by Attorney-at-law Sanjeev Datadin is out on $300,000 bail.
According to information, an investigation was launched after a former student of Jackson’s filed a report alleging that she had sexual contact with the teacher while she was still a student.
The matter was sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions, (DPP) for advice and a charge was instituted against Jackson.
The accusations against Jackson were first brought to the fore by Cultural Policy Advisor within the Ministry of Social Cohesion, Mr. Ruel Johnson.
Jackson retained legal representation and denied the allegations of sexual abuse of students under his instruction. He accused Johnson of taking such action, because he had been in communication with Johnson’s wife.
Johnson, in a letter of complaint to Chief Education Officer, Mr. Marcel Hutson, suggested that Jackson had been sexually abusing female students for many years.
Johnson alleged that the stories of abuse started in the late 1990s, beginning at another City secondary school, and followed Jackson’s career through attachments at several other schools.
The Cultural Advisor’s letter of complaint was also sent to the Ministries of Social Protection, Legal Affairs, Public Health, Public Security and Social Cohesion.
The complaint had forced the Education Ministry into investigation mode. Jackson was sent on administrative leave to facilitate the investigation. At the end of the process, the findings were sufficient to warrant a police investigation.
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