Protester on trial for being idle and disorderly

A woman originally arrested on suspicion of indecently exposing herself while protesting outside the Government Administration Building is on trial before the Summary Court on a charge of being idle and disorderly.

Lovell Marriott, who denies the charge and is representing herself in court, suggested that the charge against her is part of an effort to infringe upon her constitutional right to protest.

During her questioning of the investigating officer, Police Sergeant Christopher Donaldson, he revealed that former Commissioner of Police Derek Byrne had personally requested that he investigate the incident.

“I did receive a call from the police commissioner who told me that they had received a report of indecent exposure and that I was to investigate the matter,” confirmed Donaldson.

Marriott then suggested that Donaldson attempted to tell the security guard at the Government Administration Building, Samuel Jackson, what to say in his statement and while giving evidence.

“Is it not correct that you, on a previous occasion, while at the courthouse, asked Mr. Jackson to speak to [you] and for half an hour you then attempted to tell him what to say when giving evidence?” asked Marriott.

Donaldson swiftly replied, “That’s a lie.”

Marriott, although being originally arrested by police on suspicion of indecent exposure but not charged with that offence, asked Donaldson where, in the CCTV footage recorded at the building’s entrance on 5 Jan. 2022, did she indecently expose herself. He replied that because of the quality of the footage he did not see any indecent exposure.

During the trial before Magistrate Vanessa Allard, prosecutor Shauna-Kaye James had also questioned Donaldson about the CCTV footage.

“I recovered the footage, which is of poor quality, and spoke to security officer Samuel Jackson, who is stationed at the Government Administration Building, who gave me a statement,” Donaldson told James.

The prosecution’s case was expected to rely heavily on the testimony of Jackson, who was slated to give evidence during the proceedings. However, due to an undisclosed health complication, Jackson will not be able to attend court.

In two brief video clips from different angles, a woman who is thought to be Marriott can be seen walking in and out of the camera’s line of sight, at times pausing to gyrate and dance in a provocative matter.

Two days after the footage was recorded, Marriott was interviewed at the Cayman Islands Detention Centre in the presence of her then attorney, Amelia Fosuhene, and answered ‘no comment’ to police questions, choosing instead to give a pre-prepared statement, the court heard.

This is the second time that Marriott has found herself on trial for the same matter.

In August 2023, Magistrate Kirsty-Ann Gunn aborted the trial two days into the process, resulting in this new trial.

Marriott remains on bail while the trial continues.