City men bailed

Two 20-year-old men were granted $5,000 bail today after they appeared in the District ‘A’ Magistrates’ Court on separate charges.

They are Daniel Antoine Shaquan Stoute and Keanu Nathaniel Harris, both of Lightfoot Lane, St Michael.

Stoute pleaded guilty to unlawfully entering on the premises of Akyem Wharton’s on April 26 when the occupier had forbidden him to do so.

Daniel Antoine Shaquan Stoute and Keanu Nathaniel Harris

He however told Magistrate Douglas Frederick he was not guilty of damaging a chair belonging to Akeila Wharton on the same date.

On an indictable charge of statutory rape – Stoute and Harris who are charged separately – were not required to plea to the allegation that they had sexual intercourse with a 14-year-old girl on the same date.

Harris meanwhile pleaded guilty to unlawfully entering the premises of Akyem Wharton, which is occupied by another person, in a wanton manner.

Sergeant St Clair Phillips disclosed that the complainant secured the house in the early morning on April 26 and returned around 12 p.m. where he saw Harris and another person in the house. He asked them to leave and they complied. He returned later and found out that Stoute was also at the house and warned him against coming at the residence. When the complainat returned  to the house around 5 p.m. however, he again saw both accused, a female minor and others at the house. The police were called in and the young men arrested.

In mitigating on her clients’ behalf attorney-at-law Angella Mitchell-Gittens told Magistrate Douglas Frederick the two had owned up to some of their charges and where remorseful of their actions. She submitted that Harris was unknown to the law courts while Stoute had one prior for cannabis.

“It appears to be an abandoned house where young persons with too much time on their hands find themselves,” the attorney revealed just before the magistrate ordered that Stoute pay the court a fine of $500 in one week or spend a month in prison.

Harris was ordered to perform 120 hours of community service.

The two return to court on September 24 in connection with their other charges.

Stoute must also report to Central Police Station every Wednesday by 10 a.m.