by B. Roach :
The police before reporting on a case with two serious counts of threats, had reported two separate cases that included charges of armed with an offensive weapon, assault, threatening language and indecent language. Another was on a charge of Insulting Language.
Kingsley Murrain of Friths, after pleading not guilty to the first set of charges allegedly committed against the owner of a bar in Salem, was found guilty by new senior Magistrate Robert Shuster on October 23, 2013. Murraine received a six months imprisonment suspended sentence for two years on each account and to pay compensation to the victim in the sum of $500.00. He was also fined in respect of the charges one thousand dollars ($1,000.00) to be paid in sixty (60) days, and in default fourteen (14) days in prison.
In the other case, Emmanuel Lee of Davy Hill appeared before Chief Magistrate Veronica Dorsette–Hector on October 23, 2013 on the single charge of Insulting Language in an incident, which occurred in the public road at Salem. He also pleaded not guilty, convicted according to police reports, based on the circumstance, no conviction was recorded against Lee. He was however ordered to pay prosecution costs of $500.00.
Jermaine Cox of Sweeney’s languished on a charge of allegedly obstructing a Sergeant female Police Officer while acting in due execution of her duty at Little Bay on the 6th day of January 2013. On October 24, 2013, he appeared before Magistrate Robert Shuster, pleaded not guilty, but convicted at the end of the trial. He was fined $300 dollars in default of payment, fourteen (14 )days in prison.
These and the following matter prompted the Police to issue a press release last week. “The Royal Montserrat Police Service (RMPS), Office of the Director of Public Prosecution, and the Judicial Courts – are doing their best to send the message that domestic violence in Montserrat shall not be tolerated,” the release said noting that , “Since 2007 the most frequently reported incident to police has been “threats of violence”.”
Deputy Commissioner Siddell said unfortunately, a large number of these reports do not make their way to the courts because the complainants/victims are discouraged to cooperate with police.
The matter of two counts of threats involved Delon Giddings of Lookout, who after pleading guilty on both counts was handed a prison sentence of two months’ imprisonment for each count to be served concurrently. The threats were meted out to his female partner who had previously lodged assault complaints against him. He vehemently repeated the threats in the presence of the police who arrested and charged him accordingly as above.
Magistrate Dorsette-Hector in handing down the sentence noted to the accused that incidence of abuse and violence is becoming more prevalent in the island and she must act to send the appropriate message that such offenses cannot be tolerated.
