ST CATHERINE, Jamaica – Residents of Southboro and Bridgeport, housing schemes in Portmore, are calling on the police to act to neutralize an apparent mentally disturbed male who has developed a notorious reputation for stalking and exposing himself to women.

One female resident, who lives in Southboro, said the man in question recently invaded her home and then escaped when she sounded an alarm.

“The man dem in the community beat him up over a month ago because of the frequency with which he has been targeting women, but he appears to have recovered enough if he was able to sneak into my house. When he saw me, he ran,” she told Observer Online.

She said she made a report to the Bridgeport Police Station regarding the home invasion. However, she said no action has been taken to apprehend the man. Checks with the Bridgeport Police could not corroborate her reports as the commanding officer said “we have received no such report”.

Still, female residents of the communities of Bridgeport and Southboro are living in fear as the man, who is apparently homeless, has become more brazen in his public shows of lewdness, and migrated to adjoining communities.

“Mi hear say the pervert lef Southboro now and a frequent Bridgeport and a gwaan wid him slackness. We need the police and the mental health people to come pick him up and remove him from decent people,” another female resident who lives in Bridgeport, told Observer Online.

Residents of Portmore are particularly sensitive about sexual predators after a case involving convicted serial rapist Chaddane Harris, a gym instructor who pleaded guilty to a 21-count indictment, where he terrorised and raped several women including a senior citizen and an amputee in Portmore.

READ: Suspected Portmore serial rapist charged

Harris was sentenced to 31 years for rape, 25 years for grievous sexual assault, 20 years for wounding with intent, 15 years for burglary, and five years for simple larceny. Investigators said the crimes were committed in the Portmore municipality between 2014 and 2019.

– Claude Mills