The Tribune

A SUICIDE watch was ordered by Acting Chief Magistrate Joyanne Ferguson-Pratt for a teenage girl who pleaded not guilty to escaping police custody after she allegedly tried to rob a clothing store in a local mall with a shotgun.

The 15-year-old girl of Boyd Road, whose identity is being withheld, was remanded to Her Majesty’s Prison yesterday by the magistrate who, after more than an hour of consideration and consulting, determined that neither the Sandilands Rehabilitation Centre (SRC) nor the Willimae Pratt Centre (WPC) for girl would be able to “house” the teen.

The acting chief magistrate ordered that the juvenile be placed on suicide watch.

Earlier in the afternoon, the dark skinned 5’ 6” tall girl (wearing a jeans jacket, matching pants, black ankle socks and slippers) was escorted into court no.9 by a woman police officer and her mother after 12 noon.

Her lawyer, Jeffrey Lloyd, was also present.

The magistrate, after asking the parent to come forward, arraigned the teen on four charges – attempted armed robbery, possession of an unlicensed shotgun, possession of ammunition and escaping lawful custody.

As for the first three charges, they were alleged to have been committed on August 2. The minor was not required to plead.

It is claimed that she attempted to hold up Zonna Viva Clothing Store in Town Centre Mall while armed with a black Pistol-grab Maverick 12-guage shotgun and live ammunition.

She and her mother were informed that the Crown intended to have the matter tried in Supreme Court before a jury. The case will be fast tracked through service of a Voluntary Bill of Indictment, scheduled for November 26.

Mr Lloyd told the court that he had received instructions from the family that his client was in need of psychiatric evaluation.

He also requested that the media be barred from reporting anything that could identify his client.

It was following this submission that the magistrate paused and asked the defendant why she was rocking back and forth.

The girl said the “shaking” was the result of a condition she could not recall the name of and even if she stopped, it was only for a short while.

As for the final charge, triable in either Magistrate or Supreme Court, the mother of the minor was called on to enter a plea for her daughter who is alleged to have committed the offence on August 5.

“Guilty,” she initially said before Mr Lloyd corrected her. She then changed the plea to “not guilty.”

The “not guilty” plea was accepted and a status hearing was set for September 13.

The issue of where the minor would be secured while awaiting trial arose. Mr Lloyd requested that she be sent to SRC for the requested evaluation.

However, the ACM was concerned with whether or not that facility or WPC “can appropriately house her.”

The magistrate adjourned court for an hour to “make a few calls” and returned to court at 4pm when she ordered that the teen be remanded to prison and placed on suicide watch.