Police say alleged child molestation is false

Police on Saturday (17 August) held a press conference to address rumors that an 11-year-old boy was molested and that an MLA paid the family to keep it under wraps. Police said their investigations turned up no evidence that the boy was sexually assaulted, and now they’re turning their attention to the publishers of a website that first reported the information.

“The family support unit, working with DCFS has been working closely with people at the centre of this matter that is circulating, and I had two officers travel to the United States during the week, to ensure that we had the correct information and that it is verifiable.”

Commissioner Derek Byrne said there’s no evidence to substantiate the allegations posted on Cayman Marl Road (CMR) purporting that the boy was drugged and assaulted.

“There is absolutely no report of an assault made against the child at the center of this report circulating. There is what’s called a referral made by the George Town hospital. That referral was unrelated to a sexual assault. Mr. Byrne spent a good portion of the press conference picking apart the story, for instance, the (CMR) story said the boy’s matter was referred to Miami-Dade police, by a South Florida hospital. “That reference on social media said that the children hospital in the United States had made a referral to a local police service, that was absolutely incorrect,” said Mr. Byrne.

Then Mr. Byrne turned his attention to the matter of Gary Berry, who the article names as the perpetrator. “That is complete misinformation that is circulating in the community, and it has caused great harm and distress to that particular person, and that person has been in contact with the police, and has made a complaint to the RCIPS which is currently being investigated, outside the inquiries that are being conducted by the family support unit,” said Mr. Byrne.

Cayman 27 reached out to Mr. Berry who said, “I am using all the avenues to make CMR and Sandra Hill pay for what they did to my name. While it hasn’t been ruled out, I am looking to sue her and I won’t be as nice as the politician who tried it before because she is malicious and vindictive and someone needs to prevent this from happening to other people,” said Mr. Berry.

Mr. Byrne also addressed allegations made in the article that Bodden Town East MLA Hon. Dwayne Seymour was involved in trying to cover up the incident. “The information being given to the public domain about hush money and particular persons being involved is absolutely incorrect…absolutely incorrect,” said Mr. Byrne. He said investigations are underway to prosecute the person behind the article.

“This is all part of our examination process, our review process, and we look at all the various sections and they are various sections of the penal code that can be looked at and the matter will be referred to the Director of Public Prosecutions.” Mr. Byrne confirmed that the mother and child involved are working closely with the family support unit and MASH as the situation has now become a child safeguarding issue. Police confirmed that the child is still in the hospital overseas but they refuse to give any information on his identity, condition or why he was hospitalized in the first place.

Section 64 of the 2019 penal code revision states: A person who publishes any false statement, rumour or report which is likely to cause fear or alarm to the public or to disturb the public peace commits an offence and is liable to a fine of five thousand dollars and to imprisonment for five years.