A paediatrician who examined a boy who claims he was sexually assaulted by a Police officer told a Supreme Court jury yesterday she found lacerations and bruising in his anal area.

Dr. Bente Lundh told the seven-man five-woman jury that she examined the boy on January 2, 2002 at the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital and took photographs of the injuries. The boy's mother took him to the hospital after he told her about the injuries.

Last week the youth, who was ten at the time, fought back tears as he told the court of his anger and pain after he was allegedly sodomised at the home of the officer between 2001 and 2002. The boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, is one of three youths who are pressing a slew of sexual abuse related charges against the officer.

During questioning by prosecutor Juan Wolffe, Dr. Lundh showed the injuries to the court in a photo album with her notes she had made on the back of each photograph.

Close-up photos showed the boy, who is now 14, had two lacerations in the area around the anus. Dr. Lundh said one of the lacerations was at least two days old.

Another photo depicted a red mark on the left side of the child's buttocks.

Other photographs depict swelling and discoloration in the area.

Dr. Lundh, who was a member of the Child Protection Team at the hospital when she examined the boy, told the court that in her opinion the lacerations were caused by a penetrating injury from a blunt object and could not have been the result of a straining during a bowel movement or constipation. The injuries, in her opinion, were consistent with sexual assault.

Dr. Lundh said one laceration was at least two days old.

During cross examination by Queen's Counsel John Perry, Dr. Lundh admitted that she had not had these details of the boy's injuries recorded in her Police statement taken shortly after the alleged incident.

“Why are any of these injuries which you report to the jury not in your statement?” questioned Mr. Perry.

Dr. Lundh admitted that it was an oversight on her part but stated that she had written her notes on the back of the photograph to identify the date and the specific details of the injury.

“It was a detail you declined to tell us about,” said Mr. Perry. “Why was this not in your statement? You signed it as being true.”

Mr. Perry continued: “Were the photos of his buttocks taken before anyone in the medical team put a hand on him?”

Dr. Lundh admitted that the staff had examined the boy before photographs were taken.

He also asked her if she had read a document titled “Physical Signs of Sexual Abuse in Children” published by the Royal College of Physicians in the United Kingdom.

“Not good enough is it?” questioned Mr. Perry.

Dr. Lundh admitted that she had not read the document and as she did her medical training in the United States, at Stanford, and she read American medical publications.

The trial will continue today before Assistant Justice Carlisle Greaves.