The Tribune

By AVA TURNQUEST

Tribune Chief Reporter

aturnquest@tribunemedia.net

NATIONAL Security State Minister Keith Bell yesterday declared that ankle-monitoring bracelets were tampered with every day as he stressed the critical need for the proposed amendments to the Bail Act.

Mr Bell noted that there are 381 persons currently being electronically monitored as he underscored the immense resources police expend pursuing persons who violate bail.

“We have 381 persons on the anklet monitoring system,” Mr Bell said in the Senate.

“Everyday someone violates their bail conditions, they cut off the bracelets, they refuse to charge it, they go in water with it. So now police have to go and find them, take them into custody, and take them back before the same court to try and get them remanded.

“You can’t take them to another court. What we are seeking to do is to ensure that these persons who are given bail abide by the conditions of their bail.”

Mr Bell also highlighted the pitfalls of the current manual paper system for warrants, adding that there have been over 100,000 warrants issued over the last decade. He explained that police are expected to produce a warrant within 24 hours of an arrest, and that the failure to meet the time limit often allowed “hardened criminals” to be released.

The proposed amendment calls for bail violations to be punishable with up to a $50,000 fine and/or up to five years in prison.

During his contribution, FNM Senator Carl Bethel called the amendment the “stupidest” law he had seen in a long time.

Mr Bethel argued that the new bill would only further frustrate the backlogged court system without having an effective impact on the problem. He pointed out that the bill’s language appeared to place the burden of proof on the accused, when criminal law necessitates that suspects are innocent until proven guilty.

Mr Bethel maintained that the bill would allow for Supreme Court judges to be summoned before magistrates to clarify minuscule details of bail agreements upon the request of a defence lawyer.

“I’m not against laws,” he said, “but I am against stupid laws and we are today debating possibly the stupidest law in a long time.

“It is legally meaningless, practically meaningless, and ineffectual. All this law is going to do is clog up, crowd up, and confuse an already clogged up, crowded up, and already confused legal system that we have.

“Nothing in this bill will give us a paperless society.

“The bill as presently worded merely creates an offence that the accused is entitled to bring any defence, and the accused is innocent until proven guilty and this adds to overwhelming numbers of cases before magistrate,” Mr Bethel added.