Topic: Ato Modibo Stephens

Former Cayman Islands track coach Ato Modibo Stephens left the Cayman Islands Sunday following his criminal conviction last year for convincing a 14-year-old girl to send him topless photos of herself.

No one likes to be wrong – not the Compass, not Cabinet, not a Chief Officer. But people with courage, at minimum, choose to own their own words – and their own mistakes.

Premier Alden McLaughlin on Wednesday sought to address the controversy over the legal status of a track coach who was convicted and sentenced last year for convincing a 14-year-old girl to send the coach topless pictures of herself.

Ato Modibo Stephens will be allowed to remain in the Cayman Islands despite a court’s recommendation that he be deported following his conviction last year for convincing a 14-year-old girl to send him topless photos of herself.

Former track coach Ato Modibo Stephens had his appeals dismissed on Monday after the Court of Appeal rejected arguments that asked for his conviction to be quashed or his sentence reduced.

Ato Modibo Stephens, former athletics coach, was sentenced Thursday to 18 months in prison for convincing a 14-year-old girl on his track team to send him topless photographs of herself. Justice Michael Wood said he did not for a moment find that the girl was a liar, but that was not the test.

Justice Michael Wood heard evidence Tuesday from athletes who indicated that they did not know of any occasion when their coach, Ato Modibo Stephens, was alone in his vehicle with the girl who has accused him of indecently assaulting her on two occasions.

Trial began in Grand Court on Thursday for former Cayman track coach Ato Modibo Stephens, who is accused of indecently assaulting a 14-year-old female member of his track club.

Former Cayman track coach Ato Modibo Stephens will stand trial starting Monday, July 24, on two charges of indecent assault on a female and one of gross indecency.

Former Cayman track coach Ato Modibo Stephens appeared in Grand Court on Friday afternoon, when he pleaded not guilty to three charges: two of indecent assault on a female and one of gross indecency.

A U.S. federal court last week ordered that a Cayman Islands track coach be committed for extradition on indecent assault and other criminal charges. Ato Modibo Stephens, 37, now awaits the final decision of the U.S. secretary of state on his extradition. Those orders are typically granted in accordance with court rulings.

A formal request for the extradition of a Cayman Islands track coach on indecent assault charges was sent to the U.S. Department of State last month, according to documents made public in the American federal courts system.

A provisional arrest request has been made by the British government to U.S. authorities seeking the return of Ato Modibo Stephens to the Cayman Islands on charges of indecent assault with an underage female.