Mum makes hard choice for son

A mother made the hard decision to have her 19-year-old son held at the Psychiatric Hospital after he appeared in the District ‘A’ Magistrates’ Court today on five theft charges.

The mother told Magistrate Douglas Frederick that her son – Daniel Anthony Smith, of Callender’s Crescent, Christ Church “needed to be in a structured environment . . . he has good reasoning but he has some issues”.

Smith pleaded not guilty to the charges that on April 4, being a suspected person, loitered at Palm Beach Condominiums, a private place with intent to commit theft; on April 7 stole a pair of pants worth $100 belonging to Sylvain Chenier; on April 25 entered the house of Milton Tuckers as a trespasser and stole $400 cash and on May 1 entered the house of Mary Dowding as a trespasser stole a handbag and its contents worth $308. 98, and that he entered the house of Margaret Rodriques as a trespasser with intent to commit theft on the same date.

In objecting to bail Sergeant St Clair Phillips told the court that Smith was already on bail and was now facing more allegations. He told Magistrate Frederick that the Crown also feared that the accused would reoffend if granted bail.

However, before Smith’s mother took to the stand, his attorney Andrew Willoughby asked the magistrate for a chance at bail for the accused even as he admitted that Smith “clearly has some issues”.

Following the arguments, the magistrate ruled that the accused teen be sent to the Black Rock mental hospital where doctors can assess him and submit a report to the court.

Smith will return to court on May 31.