When an eight-year-old girl who had allegedly been sexually assaulted presented to the Accident and Emergency Department of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital six years ago, the examining doctor found that her hymen was not intact.
Taking the witness stand in the No. 5 Supreme Court in the rape trial of Shayne Douglas Marshall, medical practitioner Dr David Byer read the report of the now deceased original attending physician, Dr Ross Herbert, into evidence.
Marshall, of Rock Hall, St Philip, is accused of having sexual intercourse with a girl who was under the age of 14, between May 1 and June 30, 2019.
He is represented by attorneys Dennis Headley and Shenelle Wharton.
The doctor read that during his colleague’s examination on July 8, 2019, the girl’s hymen was absent, and her introitus, also known as the entrance to the vagina, was wider than the expected diameter for an eight-year-old. The report also stated that there were no tears or bruises.
Saying that some females were born without a hymen, the doctor later explained that a hymen could also be lost by activities like riding a bicycle, swimming, and horseback riding. He added that bruises can heal in two weeks to a month.
Acting Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Krystal Delaney, Senior State Counsel Kevin Forde, and State Counsel Maya Kellman are prosecuting the trial before Justice Pamela Beckles.
The trial, which is being heard by a five-male, four-female jury, continues on Monday.
When an eight-year-old girl who had allegedly been sexually assaulted presented to the Accident and Emergency Department of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital six years ago, the examining doctor found that her hymen was not intact.
Taking the witness stand in the No. 5 Supreme Court in the rape trial of Shayne Douglas Marshall, medical practitioner Dr David Byer read the report of the now deceased original attending physician, Dr Ross Herbert, into evidence.
Marshall, of Rock Hall, St Philip, is accused of having sexual intercourse with a girl who was under the age of 14, between May 1 and June 30, 2019.
He is represented by attorneys Dennis Headley and Shenelle Wharton.
The doctor read that during his colleague’s examination on July 8, 2019, the girl’s hymen was absent, and her introitus, also known as the entrance to the vagina, was wider than the expected diameter for an eight-year-old. The report also stated that there were no tears or bruises.
Saying that some females were born without a hymen, the doctor later explained that a hymen could also be lost by activities like riding a bicycle, swimming, and horseback riding. He added that bruises can heal in two weeks to a month.
Acting Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Krystal Delaney, Senior State Counsel Kevin Forde, and State Counsel Maya Kellman are prosecuting the trial before Justice Pamela Beckles.
The trial, which is being heard by a five-male, four-female jury, continues on Monday.
The post Court hears medical report in rape trial appeared first on Barbados Today.
