Thursday, September 19, 2024

3 THE STAR NEWS • Thursday, September 19, 2024 @JamaicaStar www.facebook.com/JamaicaStar • www.jamaica-star.com Two retirees, one 82 years old and the other 70, were scolded by a senior parish judge on Wednesday, who expressed great disappointment at their attendance in the criminal court. “It’s very unusual, you have broken a record somewhere. I can’t tell both of you how to behave when you should be the one setting an example for us,” Senior Parish Judge Sanchia Burrell told the women. It was reported that the complainant was washing her car, when the defendant, Eleanor Thompson, came outside her home and started an argument with her. The complainant walked away, but shortly thereafter felt a slap to the back of her head, allegedly done by the octogenarian. Prosecutors outlined further that Thompson uttered the words, “Me shoulda kick yuh down the stairs,” then proceeded to kick the complainant in the back, causing bruising and swelling. She was subsequently charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm. But when presented with the allegations, she maintained her innocence. ”Your Honour, she’s telling a lie,” Thompson said. Both women accepted Burrell’s suggestion to mediate the matter with a representative from Restorative Justice. Following two hours of mediation, the women returned to court, with an agreement to settle the matter. ”The complainant said she wants to be able to live in peace. She does not want her [Thompson] to be her friend or try to be her friend. She just wants to be left alone,” the prosecutor shared of the mediation agreement. Thompson was subsequently discharged from the court, following the successful mediation agreement. – T.T. Judge scolds retirees for fighting T he Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) last night maintained a presence in the surrounding community and vicinity of the prime minister’s residence, following what it said was credible intelligence that there was a “legitimate security threat to the prime minister and his household”. “The swift and effective action by our officers successfully repelled this threat, and we continue to maintain a presence at the location in line with standard security protocols,” the JCF said in a statement yesterday. The presence of the lawmen prompted speculation on social media that the home was being raided. However, the JCF quickly dismissed the rumour. “We urge members of the public to refrain from sharing unverified information, and to stay informed through official JCF channels,” the statement said. Cops quell security threat at PM’s house A couple going through a divorce in the United Kingdom, found themselves before the local courts on Wednesday airing details of an altercation which left one of them with a broken limb. Clive Lewis pleaded guilty to assaulting his estranged wife of 22 years before Senior Parish Judge Sanchia Burrell. “She bounced me and I pushed her and she fell on her backside, on her bum,” Lewis explained, adding that the complainant’s fall resulted in a fractured arm. The full details of the incident, which happened on September 6, were not outlined by prosecutors in the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court. However, the complainant shared the dispute started because she wanted to get access to a home, which is owned by Lewis, to retrieve her personal items. ”He doesn’t want me to go in the house. All I want are my clothes,” the complainant said. ”Sir, do you have a problem with her going to the house to get her stuff?” the senior jurist probed Lewis. ”No, Your Honour,” he responded. The judge instructed the investigator to assist the complainant in retrieving her personal property from Lewis’ home and made a restitution order of $60,000. ”I had to travel to Kingston from Westmoreland about four times to treat the broken arm and each trip was like $15,000” the complainant shared about her injuries. Lewis was also fined $50,000 for assault occasioning actual bodily harm and was made the subject of a fingerprint order. ”I think you two have a bigger problem,” Burrell said to the couple. – T.T. UK resident to pay for shoving wife TIFFANY TAYLOR STAR Writer J ust moments before prosecutors were to make opening arguments against three content creators who pretended to be public health inspectors late last year, the defendants entered a guilty plea. The men, Kazrae Gray, Orain Harris and Ayden Smart, pleaded guilty on Tuesday to impersonating a public health inspector and conspiracy before Senior Parish Judge Paula Blake-Powell. Charges were laid by members of the Counter Terrorism and Organised Crime Branch of the Jamaica Constabulary Force, arising from the reopening ceremony at Crab Circle last November. Gray, who went by the moniker Randy Bucktoe, and his co-accused were dressed in garments associated with public health inspectors. Gray even addressed the forum present at the ceremony. The popular spot, known for its street food delicacies, was ordered closed by health officials following a viral video of a vendor defecating at her stall. She was fined earlier this year. Following the men’s admission of guilt, almost a year after they were first placed before the court of charges of breaching the Profession’s Supplementary to Medicine Act, and conspiracy at common law to breach the Act, Blake-Powell adjourned sentencing until September 26, and made a sentencing indication of $200,000. Fake health inspectors PLEAD GUILTY Gray FILE