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| UK women may not have recognised black rapist, says Barbadian police chief | UK women may not have recognised black rapist, says Barbadian police chief |
| (21 days later) | |
| Two British women raped on Barbados who fought to free the man accused of attacking them are furious after the island's police chief suggested they might not have recognised their rapist because he was "a different race". | Two British women raped on Barbados who fought to free the man accused of attacking them are furious after the island's police chief suggested they might not have recognised their rapist because he was "a different race". |
| Dr Rachel Turner, 30, an academic from Hertfordshire, and Diane Davies, 63, a retired teacher from Anglesey, were forced to waive their anonymity as rape victims and helped organise the defence of the accused, the Barbadian Derick Crawford, before the case against him was dropped last month. He had spent 18 months in jail on remand. Both women were convinced police had arrested the wrong man. | Dr Rachel Turner, 30, an academic from Hertfordshire, and Diane Davies, 63, a retired teacher from Anglesey, were forced to waive their anonymity as rape victims and helped organise the defence of the accused, the Barbadian Derick Crawford, before the case against him was dropped last month. He had spent 18 months in jail on remand. Both women were convinced police had arrested the wrong man. |
| But, in an extraordinary defence of the police investigation, the Barbados police commissioner, Darwin Dottin, has implied the women, raped at the same spot 48 hours apart in Holetown St James in October 2010, might not be able to distinguish between one black man and another. | But, in an extraordinary defence of the police investigation, the Barbados police commissioner, Darwin Dottin, has implied the women, raped at the same spot 48 hours apart in Holetown St James in October 2010, might not be able to distinguish between one black man and another. |
| Turner, a research associate working on marine resource management at the University of the West Indies, said she and Davies were "absolutely speechless". | Turner, a research associate working on marine resource management at the University of the West Indies, said she and Davies were "absolutely speechless". |
| "To say we can't tell the difference between two black men is absolutely preposterous. Not only am I perfectly capable of distinguishing between two black men, but if I had any doubts at all, there is no way I would be pursuing this to the extent that I am," she said. | "To say we can't tell the difference between two black men is absolutely preposterous. Not only am I perfectly capable of distinguishing between two black men, but if I had any doubts at all, there is no way I would be pursuing this to the extent that I am," she said. |
| She and Davies refused to give evidence against Crawford after repeatedly telling police his age, build and voice did not match those of the rapist. The case against Crawford was dismissed by a magistrate last month after a year-long campaign by the women and after police admitted there was no DNA evidence. A "confession", which Crawford has claimed he was coerced into making, was later retracted. Turner and Davies now want an independent inquiry into the police investigation. | She and Davies refused to give evidence against Crawford after repeatedly telling police his age, build and voice did not match those of the rapist. The case against Crawford was dismissed by a magistrate last month after a year-long campaign by the women and after police admitted there was no DNA evidence. A "confession", which Crawford has claimed he was coerced into making, was later retracted. Turner and Davies now want an independent inquiry into the police investigation. |
| But at a press conference Dottin told journalists that police investigators had "done some significant research", which he offered to pass on. This included "academic literature that is coming mostly from the US that speaks about what they call 'cross-racial issues'." | But at a press conference Dottin told journalists that police investigators had "done some significant research", which he offered to pass on. This included "academic literature that is coming mostly from the US that speaks about what they call 'cross-racial issues'." |
| He added: "There are several experiments that show that people are better at recognising faces of a person of their own race rather than a different race. I am not saying that in this case that actually happened, but I am telling you the learning in academic circles, the learning in law enforcement on these issues, because of the difficulties of identification." Police had drawn their own conclusions, he said. | He added: "There are several experiments that show that people are better at recognising faces of a person of their own race rather than a different race. I am not saying that in this case that actually happened, but I am telling you the learning in academic circles, the learning in law enforcement on these issues, because of the difficulties of identification." Police had drawn their own conclusions, he said. |
| Rejecting suggestions that police were more concerned about protecting the reputation of the country than about the rights of the victims, he said both women had been "at times very difficult and unco-operative". | Rejecting suggestions that police were more concerned about protecting the reputation of the country than about the rights of the victims, he said both women had been "at times very difficult and unco-operative". |
| Turner said the police response was "very disappointing", and they had clearly decided to discredit the rape victims rather than look for the real rapist. | Turner said the police response was "very disappointing", and they had clearly decided to discredit the rape victims rather than look for the real rapist. |
| "He has decided to smear our reputations, and to make us look like difficult, hysterical women," said Turner. "Of course, this is one of the issues with rape in general. It's one of those crimes that has so much stigma attached to it and one of the biggest issues with rape is that people are not believed. For him to then go and try to discredit us in that way, is, well … I'm lost for words." | "He has decided to smear our reputations, and to make us look like difficult, hysterical women," said Turner. "Of course, this is one of the issues with rape in general. It's one of those crimes that has so much stigma attached to it and one of the biggest issues with rape is that people are not believed. For him to then go and try to discredit us in that way, is, well … I'm lost for words." |
| Both she and Davies had made complaints about the way they were treated as rape victims, she said, and it had been a difficult decision for both to waive their anonymity. By "publicly insulting us, by saying we have been difficult and unco-operative, which we haven't", police had only made their ordeal yet more difficult, she said. | Both she and Davies had made complaints about the way they were treated as rape victims, she said, and it had been a difficult decision for both to waive their anonymity. By "publicly insulting us, by saying we have been difficult and unco-operative, which we haven't", police had only made their ordeal yet more difficult, she said. |
| "The only thing I have refused to co-operate with is in being complicit in this ridiculous charge against someone who didn't commit the crime," said Turner. | "The only thing I have refused to co-operate with is in being complicit in this ridiculous charge against someone who didn't commit the crime," said Turner. |
| She said the commissioner's remarks had further damaged the reputation of Barbados. "This whole case has been an embarrassment for Barbados. Everyone is talking about the fact this is being covered up to protect tourism. But, if you have a country that is genuinely concerned about tourism and the island being a safe place for tourists, this is not the response you would expect from the police force." | She said the commissioner's remarks had further damaged the reputation of Barbados. "This whole case has been an embarrassment for Barbados. Everyone is talking about the fact this is being covered up to protect tourism. But, if you have a country that is genuinely concerned about tourism and the island being a safe place for tourists, this is not the response you would expect from the police force." |
| Turner said she had spoken to Davies, who suffered a broken collar bone and three fractured ribs in the attack, and who felt exactly the same. "She's absolutely fuming." | Turner said she had spoken to Davies, who suffered a broken collar bone and three fractured ribs in the attack, and who felt exactly the same. "She's absolutely fuming." |
| Dottin told journalists: "We seek always to avoid miscarriages of justice." He added: "I want to categorically say it is not true in this matter we gave priority or any attention to protecting the reputation of the country over the rights and comforts of the victims." The case collapsed because the women had refused to give evidence against Crawford, he said. | Dottin told journalists: "We seek always to avoid miscarriages of justice." He added: "I want to categorically say it is not true in this matter we gave priority or any attention to protecting the reputation of the country over the rights and comforts of the victims." The case collapsed because the women had refused to give evidence against Crawford, he said. |
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