Psychiatric evaluation ordered on convicted man

Matthew Renaldo Boyce was remanded to the Psychiatric Hospital for assessment after he pleaded guilty to wounding and criminal damage charges in the District ‘A’ Traffic Court on Tuesday.

The 36-year-old resident of Denton Road, Grazettes, St Michael admitted to damaging one motor car without lawful excuse belonging to John Joseph on February 1; unlawfully and maliciously wounding Jerry Joseph on February 16; and assaulting Imram Jada on January 22.

Prosecutor Verdon Forde outlined that in the first matter, the complainant parked his car and fell asleep in the vehicle but was awoken by a loud noise and observed Boyce hitting the windscreen. As he got out of the car, Boyce punctured the left front tyre before running away.

In the second matter, the complainant was walking along Jordan’s Land in Deacons Road, St Michael, when Boyce threw a rock at him and missed. Joseph armed himself with a stick and there was a scuffle between the two. Boyce pulled out a flick knife and stabbed the complainant twice in the neck and once in the upper back.

In the final matter, Boyce cuffed Jada in the back of his head while walking along Headley Road, Deacons Road, St Michael. The complainant fell to the ground, suffering soft tissue injuries to his hand and neck.

Saying that Boyce has 12 previous convictions of a similar nature, the prosecutor pointed to his history of suffering from schizophrenia.

Boyce, who was self-represented, told Magistrate Alison Burke he would appreciate being given the opportunity to clean up his life, saying that his cocaine use made his mental condition worse.

“My smoking is what has me doing this foolishness. I would like help to stop smoking,” he said.

Magistrate Burke remanded him to the Psychiatric Hospital for 21 days for assessment while requesting the medical reports of the complainants.

“The court still has to sentence you in these matters but I will first get the psychiatric assessment before doing so,” Burke stated.

She adjourned the matter until May 7.