Cops hunting former police commandant

A lawyer representing Harold Crooks — the former Island Special Constabulary Force commandant who is being sought by the police for alleged sex-related offences -- says his client has rejected his persuasion to turn himself in to the police.

Crooks' attorney Vincent Wellesley, said despite attempts yesterday to persuade his client to surrender to the law, he remained resolute he would not hand himself over.

"He called me yesterday and I told him to turn himself in. He (however) said he does not intend to do so," said Wellesley, in a telephone interview with the Observer.

Police launched a manhunt for Crooks over the weekend after he failed on two occasions to turn up for an interview at the Centre for the Investigation of Sexual Offences and Child Abuse (CISOCA) last week.

Deputy Superintendent Herfa Beckford, head of CISOCA, said attempts to find Crooks at his home had proven futile.

"He made arrangement to come with his lawyer on Monday. It was then changed to Thursday but he still has not made himself available," said Beckford. "But we hope he will hand over himself because anywhere in the world he is we are going to find him," she continued.

Yesterday, Wellesley could not say whether or not his client was in Jamaica, noting that Crooks called him from a private number and that he had no means of contacting him.

The lawyer, however, appealed to Crooks to report to the police. "He is presumed to be innocent; it is not in his best interest to run," Wellesley said.

Source: Observer