Best on suspended sentence for trespassing and harassment

Asked by a magistrate why he trespassed on a woman’s property several times after being told not to, Shawn Dale Best replied, “I hard ears”.

The 49-year-old of Upper Carter’s Gap, Enterprise, Christ Church, is now on a suspended sentence after he went before Magistrate Deidre McKenna in the Oistins Magistrates’ Court on Monday and pleaded guilty to harassing Georgette King-Brathwaite and unlawfully trespassing on her property.

The offences took place on July 13.

According to the facts, a few days before the mentioned date, the accused went to King-Brathwaite’s residence. She told him not to trespass on her premises and called the police, but when they arrived, Best was gone. The next day, he returned, and the same thing occurred. On Sunday, Best again visited King-Brathwaite’s home and began banging on her door. She called the police, and when they responded, they saw him walking in the area and arrested him.

In his defence, Best told the court that he knocked on the complainant’s door to ask for iced water.

“My neighbour next to me making it a habit of taking up my welfare cheques and not leffin nothing for me. So I went and knock on dis woman door asking for some ice water and she call de police say I harassing her,” he stated.

Noting that he had eight previous convictions, several of which were for trespassing, Magistrate McKenna gave Best a nine-month sentence for the harassment offence and suspended it for one year.

“Make sure you do not get yourself in any trouble for the next year and stay away from people’s premises,” she advised him.