Indecent assault charge against boys withdrawn

By Wimpie Heath

Court Reporter

EAST LONDON -- An indecent assault charge against four East London teenagers was withdrawn in the district court here yesterday.

It was alleged that the teenagers indecently assaulted a 12-year-old girl in November last year at George Randell Primary School.

Three of the teenagers and the 12-year-old victim were suspended from school shortly afterwards.

Mr Quinton Woodstock, 19, of Greenfields, two 13-year-old boys and a 14-year-old boy were assisted by their parents in court yesterday.

The teenagers were not asked to plead to the charge.

Magistrate Hendrik van Houwelingen told the court that the state had withdrawn the charge against them.

It is alleged that the accused and the girl had obtained a bottle of liquor and went to the school grounds some two hours after a Grade 7 year-end party had ended at the school.

It is suspected that the youths were under the influence of alcohol when the alleged incident occurred.

The incident came to light after a 15-year-old boy, who was not a George Randell pupil, reported the incident to his parents who chased and caught the accused before contacting the police.

Chairman of the school's governing body, Mr Rick Andrew, said in an interview yesterday that the three boys attending the school were suspended as a result of the incident.

The girl was temporally suspended after the allegation of alcohol abuse on the school premises. She is under suspension pending an investigation and official inquiry by the school.

The investigating officer, Inspector Isabel Powers, said the forensic results were negative, but not conclusive and a lot of factors could have influenced the results.

She said there was not sufficient supporting evidence to continue with the case.