First-time offender pays compensation

A 52-year-old carpenter was ordered to pay $300 compensation on Monday after spending four days on remand.

Devon Alywn Defreitas, who resides at Edey Village, Christ Church, was released after he paid the forthwith sum ordered by Magistrate Bernadeth John.

After pleading not guilty on his first court appearance last week, the Vincentian national threw in the towel when he appeared before the District ‘A’ Magistrates’ Court, represented by attorney-at-law Kristin Vanderpool, on Monday. 

He admitted to assaulting Dawn Reeves on August 30, 2023, causing her actual bodily harm.

The court heard that Reeves was walking along Tudor Street, The City with a friend when Defreitas passed and brushed her. 

Reeves, according to the prosecutor, asked him if he could not say ‘excuse me’ and Defreitas turned around and raised his middle finger at her.  

As they walked along the road, Reeves’ companion told Defreitas to apologise and there was a verbal exchange. Defreitas then threw a rock at Reeves’ friend but it hit her instead.

In giving his client’s version of what occurred, Vanderpool said Defreitas did brush against the complainant while walking by and apologised, but the two became aggressive. 

The attorney said that according to his instructions, during the exchange, Reeves and her friend, who had an object in his hand, chased his client. In self-defence, he said, Defreitas picked up the rock and threw it, hitting Reeves.

The defence lawyer said that Defreitas, who is in the country to earn a living to support his five children back home, had no pending matters and was never convicted here or in his country. He added that his client had not wasted the court’s time, had also reported the matter to the police, and had spent four days on remand.

“It is my submission that the four days spent on remand are enough in the circumstances,” Vanderpool argued.

After hearing from the prosecutor and the defence, Magistrate John said there were “some holes” in the facts as what she heard could not be the entire story.

However, she made it clear that “we can’t release missiles in public places”, as innocent bystanders could be hurt or property damaged.

“It is unfortunate that this moved from a simple exchange to caveman behaviour – a brush pass in the streets that ends up with a rock being thrown,” Magistrate John stated as she brought the matter to a close.