Former Island Special Constabulary commandant Harold Crooks was yesterday found guilty of indecent assault in the St Catherine Circuit Court.

Crooks was found guilty after a jury retired for over an hour and returned the verdict.

He was freed of the carnal abuse charge. However, he was convicted of two counts of indecent assault.

During the summation, Justice Bertram Morrison told the jury that any benefit should be given to the accused. During the trial which lasted for more than a week, the accused kept saying the complainant was over 16-year-old when he had sex with her.

The Crown led evidence that in May 2010, Crooks sexually assaulted the complainant while she was under the age of consent.

He is said to have run away from the community in St Catherine after a report was made to the police.

Crooks was held in St Ann at the Ocho Rios Pier after he reportedly jumped from a ship.

He has made numerous court appearances, during which time he maintained his innocence.

Crooks is scheduled to be sentenced on July 20 in the Home Circuit Court.