Man sent for evaluation after admitting to damaging vehicle

Forty-four-year-old Noel Alexander Austin will spend the next few days at the Psychiatric Hospital.

Magistrate Krisite Cuffy-Sargeant remanded Austin, who has no fixed place of abode, to the Black Rock, St Michael institution after he pleaded guilty to damaging a motor van belonging to Davanand Persaud on June 8.

Persaud parked his vehicle on the right side of the fence at the Cheapside Public Market where he operators as a vendor. According to officer Kenmore Phillips, sometime later he told Austin with whom he was familiar, to behave himself while at the market which caused Austin to argue. Austin then walked off, continued to argue, pulled a knife from his waist and threatened Persaud.

Around 6:10 a.m. other workers at the market informed Persaud that Austin had broken the windshield of his vehicle before leaving the area. The matter was reported to police.

On his arrest Austin claimed that Persaud hit him in the back with a piece of iron. He told police that he picked up a rock from outside the market and threw it at the windshield before leaving.

The matter will continue in the No. 2 District ‘A’ Magistrates’ Court on June 14 when Persaud is expected to make an appearance.