Accused admits damaging church property

Renison Isaiah Prince says he broke 19 windows and a plant pot at the historic St Mary’s Church because, “God tell me to do it”.

That’s the explanation the 26-year-old Fairfield, Black Rock, St Michael resident gave to police when he was arrested over two years ago.

Before committing the criminal act on October 22, 2017 Prince ventured to Lucky Horsehoe where security officer Edwin Norgrove saw him. He was removed from those premises after drinking pepper sauce from the bottle, Senior Crown Counsel Olivia Davis said in reading the facts of the case.

Prince left the establishment and Norgrove, who knew him for four years from seeing him, said Prince stated that someone was calling him from the churchyard. Norgrove told him that was not the case.

Five minutes later the guard said he heard glass breaking from the direction of the church and subsequently saw Prince jumping over the southern wall, covered in blood. The police were called and Prince was arrested.

The following morning around 5:45 a.m., the caretaker came in with the intentions of opening the church but instead discovered the windows broken and debris on the ground along with stones.

The police arrived with a handcuffed Prince soon after. Photographs were taken of the scene and Prince was questioned about how he sustained the laceration on his left forearm.

“I brek out windows in the church. God tell me to do it. I mean St Mary’s Church,” he told police.

Under caution he then pointed to the windows he damaged and again stated: “I brek out them. God tell me to do it . . . and the plant pot inside.  I don’t want no lawyer, I is who brek out the windows. I tell you what happen, I ain’t giving no statement.”

The prosecutor told Justice Randall Worrell, the cost to repair and replace the windows was estimated at BDS$51,180.

The judge remanded Prince to the Psychiatric Hospital for the next three weeks to be evaluated. He is currently serving time at Dodds,.

Prince, who was unrepresented, returns before the No. 2 Supreme Court for sentencing on February 28.