A top Amrican expert has finished training 22 local nurses and doctors in collecting evidence from sex attack victims to ensure court wins.

Her methods in gathering "high-quality'' conclusive evidence have already forced many rape suspects in the US to "plead out'' without even putting the victim or her family through the trauma of a trial.

And a preliminary version of the local programme could be up and running by January with a King Edward VII Memorial Hospital room already being "kitted out'', Bermuda's Chief Medical Officer Dr. John Cann revealed yesterday.

US expert nurse Kathy Bell, who works for the Tulsa Police Department as Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner Programme Coordinator, was one of several international and local specialists who contributed to the course.

She said the Bermuda medicos were trained to recognise the victim's many physical and mental needs and she taught them the latest Police techniques of collecting proof of the attack.

"If the offenders don't plead guilty, we're always prepared with the evidence we have gathered to go into the court room,'' she said.

"And examiners are neutral. We don't want the falsely accused going to jail.

We're there just to gather evidence from the victim's body using the same techniques as the Police use to gather it from the crime scene.'' She said it was hoped a higher proportion of rape victims would have the courage to prosecute their attacker once the solid reputation of the local programme spread -- as had occurred in her own community.

News of the training programme came after The Royal Gazette revealed that no medical evidence could be taken from two recent sexual assault victims -- because the Island's one specialist, Dr. Keith Cunningham, was on holiday.

It is understood Dr. Cunningham is due to retire shortly.

Dr. Cann said the organising committee was now working on the programme's final details before it was introduced -- hopefully early in the new year.

The new "experts'' would work on a rota with one on call at all times to be automatically called when a sex assault victim contacted Police.

"We are attempting to provide a more comprehensive approach to a very complex matter,'' he said.

"This way the individual concerned who makes the call for help will be assessed not only for the forensic needs but for their other needs too.

"Probably to start with, the doctors will carry the ball until we have the full system worked out, hopefully quite soon.'' The nurse or doctor "on duty'' would then coordinate help for the assault victim -- ensuring they received counselling, advice on exposure to sexually transmitted diseases, medical treatment and any other help needed, he said.

The assigned room would be separate from the hectic bustle of the Emergency Department and have a "warmer, quieter, more comfortable'' environment.

He said representatives from the Police, the Women's Resource Centre, the Attorney General's Chambers and the Hospital were included on the committee.

Kathy Bell