A well-known Antiguan entertainer has been found guilty of indecent assault and serious indecency following a trial before the High Court, according to Antigua.news.
Harrison Horsford, widely recognised by his stage name Jesse Fyah, was convicted on both counts after a jury returned its verdict in less than an hour. Justice Ann Marie Smith presided over the trial, with Horsford represented by attorney George Lake.
The charges stem from an incident on October 27, 2020, in which the complainant — a woman known to Horsford — accepted a ride in his vehicle. Horsford was 33 years old at the time; the complainant was 21.
The court heard that what began as a routine offer of transportation took a troubling turn when Horsford drove past the agreed destination, claiming he needed to meet someone at Darkwood. No such meeting materialised.
Prosecutor Curtis Cornelius presented evidence that Horsford made unwanted sexual advances toward the complainant inside the vehicle, kissing her without consent and grabbing her by the throat when she resisted. He is alleged to have touched her intimately against her will before she was able to exit the vehicle. A witness who came to her assistance shortly afterwards testified that the complainant appeared visibly distressed and was clutching her clothing.
Horsford denied the allegations. In an unsworn statement to the court, he maintained that the interaction had been entirely innocent — that he had offered to help her find employment, that she had asked him for money which he declined to provide, and that he dropped her off at her destination without further incident. He described a Facebook message he subsequently received from her accusing him of rape as strange and unexpected.
The jury rejected that account, returning guilty verdicts on both counts in under an hour.
Horsford was remanded into custody following the verdict. Justice Smith ordered a social inquiry report, and sentencing is scheduled for July 1. Each charge carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.
