Cutlass-wielding man pleads guilty

Rico Ricardo Grazettes is expected to find out his fate when he reappears before the District ‘A’ Magistrates’ Court on August 30.

The 22-year-old man of Cutting Road, Haggatt Hall, St Michael, appeared before Chief Magistrate Ian Weekes on Wednesday and asked for help for his addiction to crack cocaine.

Grazettes admitted that he armed himself with an offensive weapon, a cutlass, on July 30 with intent to commit the offence of wounding.

“I ain’t got no choice but to plead guilty,” Grazettes said when asked to enter a plea.

He was also charged with having cocaine paraphernalia in his possession on the same day.

When asked whether he was guilty or not, Grazettes replied: “Yeah, ‘cause I smoke cocaine. I have a little mental problem, and it helps me out a lot . . . it does stimulate the brain.”

Sergeant Verdon Forde told the court that police were on duty along Whitepark Road, St Michael when they observed the young man walking, holding a cutlass behind his back; behaving in an aggressive and boisterous manner.

He was then heard shouting: “Come out. You pull out a knife on me, I going to chop you up”.

Police intervened and disarmed Grazettes before searching him. The apparatus, which contained burnt residue, was discovered.

“I does smoke crack cocaine,” he told the officers when asked to account for the apparatus.

Before the Chief Magistrate on Wednesday, the young man told the court: “I ain’t disagree with it, but I want to know if you will be able to help me into a rehabilitation centre for the crack cocaine.”

He was remanded to Dodds, where doctors there will conduct an assessment on whether he is a suitable candidate for drug rehabilitation.

“I want bail, but I want the help. I could be put on the security at prison?” the convicted man, who is already on bail for another charge, asked.

The Chief Magistrate responded by saying that he was not in charge of the prison.