Brown though a heavy wooden door, immediately followed by another door, literally inches apart from the first one. They walked into a box-like room containing only a black wooden desk and four chairs; two either side of the desk. By the wall on the desk was an antiquated machine which looked as if it had been well used and abused at the hands of many. Jocasta could not think what it was for, it looked capable of torture. The room had a strange atmosphere, it made Jocasta's ears pop and as PC Judd began to speak, she could hear a slight echoing in her ears, she supposed the room must be sound proofed which caused the anomaly in her hearing.
They all sat down and PC Judd produced two cassette tapes which he removed from their cellophane packaging in front of them. He placed the tapes into the old machine and pressed a button which caused a loud beeping to vibrate around the small room. PC Judd began to speak, "Ok, we are in the interview room at Olinsbury Police Station, I am PC Judd 234TX. It's Friday 10 th October 2003 and the time by my watch is 12:46 hours. With me is..."
The introductions continued and PC Judd read from a sheet of paper in front of him, outlining Adrian's rights and again giving the standard police caution.
"Now Adrian, we have had a report from a girl at your school, Charmaine Sprint. Do you know her?"
"No comment," came a muffled reply from Adrian who sat looking at his hands.
"You will have to speak up for the tape please Adrian."
"No comment." Adrian lifted his voice slightly.
"He said no comment." Jocasta tapped the table. "And that's what the solicitor has told him to say, so..."
"Sorry; Mrs Brown?" PC Judd stopped Jocasta.
"Miss." An exasperated Jocasta almost shouted back at him.
"Miss Brown, if you could just be quiet please; you are only here to make sure that Adrian is not mistreated; you are not under arrest and are not obliged to speak."
Jocasta harrumphed and sat back. She was getting more and more agitated as this day went on. Not only were they accusing Adrian of something ludicrous but the procedures they had to go through just to get into a room seemed ridiculous.
PC Judd went on to give full disclosure about the allegation made against Adrian. He informed them that the girl called Charmaine Sprint, who was 11 years old, had been sitting on some steps outside the lunch hall of their school. It was quite a secluded area of the school, not used by many students. Charmaine suffered from Asperger's Syndrome so would sit there often as she liked to exclude herself from the melee of morning break.
When Charmaine returned to her lessons after break, the teacher noticed her top was ripped at the armpit. Charmaine seemed distressed as she was holding her hands up to her ears and rocking in her chair.
"Now, Charmaine was taken out of class and her form teacher spoke to her privately Adrian. She told the teacher that you had approached her on the stairs and without even speaking to her you attempted to kiss her and then grabbed her in the pubic area. Do you know what the pubic area is?"
"No comment."
PC Judd put a piece of paper onto the table and drew the outline of a female form. He then pointed to the groin with his pen. "That is the pubic area, Adrian. I need to know if you understand the area I'm talking about please."
"Of course he does." Jocasta intervened once again.
"Are you happy he understands?" Pc Judd directed his question at the solicitor.
"Yes, I'm happy that your picture is adequate." The solicitor confirmed.
"Ok good, now obviously Charmaine was very distressed, she finds it extremely difficult to express herself especially when she is upset. We are currently video interviewing her in our dedicated suite and all we have at the moment is the statement from her teacher. What we want Adrian is your side of the story." PC Judd paused to watch Adrian's reaction. "This is your first opportunity to give us an explanation; do you want to tell me what happened?"
"No
They all sat down and PC Judd produced two cassette tapes which he removed from their cellophane packaging in front of them. He placed the tapes into the old machine and pressed a button which caused a loud beeping to vibrate around the small room. PC Judd began to speak, "Ok, we are in the interview room at Olinsbury Police Station, I am PC Judd 234TX. It's Friday 10 th October 2003 and the time by my watch is 12:46 hours. With me is..."
The introductions continued and PC Judd read from a sheet of paper in front of him, outlining Adrian's rights and again giving the standard police caution.
"Now Adrian, we have had a report from a girl at your school, Charmaine Sprint. Do you know her?"
"No comment," came a muffled reply from Adrian who sat looking at his hands.
"You will have to speak up for the tape please Adrian."
"No comment." Adrian lifted his voice slightly.
"He said no comment." Jocasta tapped the table. "And that's what the solicitor has told him to say, so..."
"Sorry; Mrs Brown?" PC Judd stopped Jocasta.
"Miss." An exasperated Jocasta almost shouted back at him.
"Miss Brown, if you could just be quiet please; you are only here to make sure that Adrian is not mistreated; you are not under arrest and are not obliged to speak."
Jocasta harrumphed and sat back. She was getting more and more agitated as this day went on. Not only were they accusing Adrian of something ludicrous but the procedures they had to go through just to get into a room seemed ridiculous.
PC Judd went on to give full disclosure about the allegation made against Adrian. He informed them that the girl called Charmaine Sprint, who was 11 years old, had been sitting on some steps outside the lunch hall of their school. It was quite a secluded area of the school, not used by many students. Charmaine suffered from Asperger's Syndrome so would sit there often as she liked to exclude herself from the melee of morning break.
When Charmaine returned to her lessons after break, the teacher noticed her top was ripped at the armpit. Charmaine seemed distressed as she was holding her hands up to her ears and rocking in her chair.
"Now, Charmaine was taken out of class and her form teacher spoke to her privately Adrian. She told the teacher that you had approached her on the stairs and without even speaking to her you attempted to kiss her and then grabbed her in the pubic area. Do you know what the pubic area is?"
"No comment."
PC Judd put a piece of paper onto the table and drew the outline of a female form. He then pointed to the groin with his pen. "That is the pubic area, Adrian. I need to know if you understand the area I'm talking about please."
"Of course he does." Jocasta intervened once again.
"Are you happy he understands?" Pc Judd directed his question at the solicitor.
"Yes, I'm happy that your picture is adequate." The solicitor confirmed.
"Ok good, now obviously Charmaine was very distressed, she finds it extremely difficult to express herself especially when she is upset. We are currently video interviewing her in our dedicated suite and all we have at the moment is the statement from her teacher. What we want Adrian is your side of the story." PC Judd paused to watch Adrian's reaction. "This is your first opportunity to give us an explanation; do you want to tell me what happened?"
"No
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