Coen Jackson acquitted on one count of sexual activity with underage child; mistrial declared on other three charges
While a mistrial was declared in three of the sexual offence charges against former teacher at The Bishops’ High School, Coen Jackson, he was found not guilty on one of them.
He was on trial before Justice Priya Sewnarine-Beharry at the Sexual Offences Court in Georgetown, for four counts of sexual activity with a child under the age of 16, by abusing a position of trust. The complainant in the case is one of his former female students.
The charges state that he committed the offences on four occasions in February, March, April, and May of 2011. Jackson, 42, who was represented by Attorneys-at-Law Nigel Hughes and Jerome Khan, had pleaded not guilty to all the indictments.
Following deliberations on Tuesday, the jury was unable to arrive at a verdict (hung jury) on the first, second and third counts. On the fourth count, the jury, however, found him not guilty. The trial judge declared a mistrial on the first, second and third counts.
As such, Jackson will have to face a new trial at a date to be determined by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP). He remains out on $300,000 bail.
The case for the prosecution was led by State Counsel Nafeeza Baig in association with State Counsel Muntaz Ali and State Counsel Latifah Elliot.
The facts of the matter as disclosed by the prosecution stated that Jackson began communicating privately with the girl while she was his student in December 2010.
The prosecution contends that he invited her over to his home several times and had her watching pornographic movies. He eventually raped the girl, the prosecution alleged.
The prosecution further said that all of this took place before the student wrote the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC).
The prosecution added that these events only came to light in 2016, after the student became involved in a relationship with a man who caused her to realise that what had happened to her was wrong, and she was being abused by her teacher.
