The Tribune

By FARRAH JOHNSON

fjohnson@tribunemedia.net

A JUDGE chastised a group of young people brought before his court for violating the weekend lockdown yesterday, noting that although a teenager who was fined $700 last week for selling coconuts sparked public outrage, he still had a “courtroom full of people” violating the emergency regulations.

Magistrate Andrew Forbes told the group, who were found in a car by police Friday night, he was reaching his boiling point since he had to frequently admonish curfew and lockdown breakers of the harsh consequences they could possibly face.

He added that magistrates have been reserved and not given offenders the maximum penalties for such offences, but said “it seems like people aren’t getting the message”.

His rebuke came as Tiffany Miller, 30; Kyron Seymour, 26; De’shanna Williams, 24; and Danielle Fatal, 21 were charged after officers found them in the Gambier Village area around 10.15pm on May 22. They all pleaded guilty and were each fined $500 or two months at BDCS.

Prosecutor Lincoln Mckenzie said that night, officers on mobile patrol in the area stopped a silver coloured Nissan and questioned the occupants, who told them that they were just chilling.

During the hearing, the defendants were represented by attorney Ian Cargill. He told the magistrate that the vehicle his clients were riding in had broken down around a quarter to nine. He also said Williams had called 311 and had got permission to drop a friend home, but her car didn’t have any gas. He claimed that the group ended up using another car, but got a flat tyre on the road. That’s when the girls called Seymour to help them. Mr Cargill said Seymour did not call 311 before he left his residence.

Still, when Magistrate Forbes read the statements the defendants gave police during their record of interview, he noted that at that time, all of them had claimed they were going for food.

He added that it seemed as if people were not understanding the importance of following the emergency orders.

“Whether the intent was to go for food or car problems, it never justifies the violation of law,” the judge said.

In another case, a man who claimed he violated the weekend lockdown because he had been drinking excessively and had wandered out of his yard was fined $500 yesterday.

George Miller, 59, was charged after officers found him on Poinciana Drive around 2.45am on May 24. He pleaded guilty and was fined $500 or two months at the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services.

When given an opportunity to speak, Miller told the magistrate that he was “drinking excessively” and had “just happened to walk” out of his yard and decided to keep walking. Miller said at the time, he was drinking on his porch. He also admitted to being drunk at the time of his arrest.

Meanwhile Jamalio Forbes, 39, was charged after officers found him on Soldier Road around 9pm on May 21. He pleaded guilty to violating the curfew and was fined $500 or two months in prison. Prosecutor McKenzie said at the time of his arrest, Forbes had told officers he had just left his sister’s house after going there for food.

During the hearing, Forbes said he was sitting down with a couple of friends while he was eating his food. He claimed he was stopped by police while he was walking home and had told them he was five minutes away from his house. In response, Magistrate Forbes told the defendant even if his sister’s residence was a “stone’s throw away,” he did not have the right to be outdoors if he was not an essential worker.

Officers found Castello McIntosh, 45, on Cowpen Road around 1.30am on May 23. He pleaded guilty, but said he was only outside because he and his girlfriend had got into an argument and he wanted to leave before he got “himself into problems.” McIntosh told the magistrate that he lived with his girlfriend and three-month-old baby. He said when they had the argument, he decided to “take a chance” and walk to his mother’s house before the situation escalated.

Cameron Robinson, 25, was charged after officers found him on Gilbert Street around 10.35pm. He pleaded guilty and was fined $500 or two months in prison. Prosecutor McKenzie said when the officer questioned Robinson that night, he had told them he was going to pick up some food he had ordered. After sentencing Robinson, Magistrate Forbes told him he hoped the plate of food he breached the curfew for was “valuable.” He also said he didn’t think some meals from New York City that were sprinkled with gold cost the amount Robinson was fined.

Kenneth Lockhart, 25, and Edmund Jones, 24, were charged after officers found them on Cox Street, Fox Hill around 11am on May 25. They both pleaded guilty and were each fined $400 or two months in prison. Prosecutor McKenzie said the men told officers they were going for water and soda at the time of their arrest. When given an opportunity to speak, Lockhart told the magistrate he had to get water for his diabetic mother who was also suffering from hypertension. He claimed that his mother needed to drink water every 20 minutes, so he was trying to go to a “Haitian lady” around the corner to purchase some.

Cartel Smith, 29, was charged after officers found him on Poinciana Drive around 9.45pm on May 22. He pleaded guilty and was fined $500 or two months at BDCS. During the hearing, Smith was also charged with simple drug possession after officers searched him and found Indian hemp. He pleaded guilty to that charge as well and was conditionally discharged on the agreement that he would attend drug counselling classes for 12 months.