Foreday charge

A 26-year-old mechanic who threatened a uniformed police officer has been remanded to Dodds until September 1.

Javon Jerome Hinds, of 2nd Avenue Bird’s River, Deacon’s Road, St Michael appeared before Chief Magistrate Ian Weekes on Friday and pleaded not guilty to issuing the threatening words “You think I don’t know you. I would throw a shot in you” towards Richard Walkes on July 30.

When it came time for bail, Station Sergeant Crishna Graham objected on the grounds of the seriousness of the charge as the alleged threat was made while the officer was on duty, in the uniform of the Barbados Police Service, and in a public setting.

“It was the time of the Foreday Morning jam that this alleged threat was made. We cannot have the accused believing that it is alright for him to make this threat within a public setting, so that society will believe that his utterances are [acceptable],” the prosecutor submitted.

Officer Graham, who also pointed to the strength of the evidence as another ground on which bail should be denied, said there was also a need to protect society and the officer.

Attorney-at-law Sade Harris who appeared in association with Queen’s Counsel Michael Lashley urged the court to discard the strength on the evidence submission made by the prosecutor as there was no disclosure provided to the court or the defence on which “we can really get into and ventilate the strength of the evidence”.

The defense lawyer also urged the District ‘A’ Magistrates’ Court not to consider the nature and seriousness as well as the protection of society, as grounds for denying the accused bail.

“At this stage what is before the court is a mere allegation. He has no prior convictions that this accused has the propensity to attack and or threaten members of the force. This is an allegation that now has to be ventilated at trial. Enough has not been brought to the court to satisfy the ground which is for the protection of society and the police officer in particular,” Harris said.

She added that her client was a good candidate for bail as he was of “good character,” had “no strikes” against his name and was gainfully employed.

“He is a young man who is trying to maintain his employment within this current economic situation and to remand him and take him out of the working arena puts him at a great risk of losing his employment,” she submitted. “The fact that the complainant is a police officer is in no way a bar to bail,” the attorney added.

She said her client was willing to adhere to any bail conditions.