The woman who rented an apartment which the managers later found vandalised has been charged with damage to property.
Jillian Charles was brought before the Serious Offences Court on Friday, charged that between May 31 and July 25, 2018, at Frenches, without lawful excuse, she damaged apartment #1 of Simon Cooke Apartment, value EC$8458.05, the property of Simon Cooke Apartments of Frenches, intending to damage such property.
Charles pleaded not guilty when she was arraigned before Chief Magistrate Rechanne Browne-Matthias.
The prosecution did not object to her bail but asked that she provide sufficient surety and that the matter be transferred to the Kingstown Magistrate’s Court.
Charles was granted EC$10,000 bail with one surety.
The matter was transferred to the Kingstown Magistrate Court for Sept. 17.
Charles was the tenant at the apartment outside of which the managers, Marlon and Cordelia Gibson stood around midnight on July 24 after neighbours and other tenants had summoned them.
Mr. Gibson told iWitness News he heard sounds of pounding and of glass being smashed coming from inside.
He came to the media because police were yet to arrest anyone after failing to respond twice to their reports that a crime may have been in progress at the apartment.
Charles was arrested on Thursday while she was about to sign an occupancy contract with another property owner.
PROSECUTORIAL WEIRDITY
Prosecution’…asked that she provide sufficient surety.’
This appears ‘…interestingly weird.’
The reporter appears always to pay attention to detail, invariably
exposing ‘…Prosecutorial Weirdity.’
No suggestions are required from prosecutors as they neither
‘…hear nor determine cases; …do not set bail or determine conditions.’
These are the judicial functions of Magistrates.
In making their determinations, adjudicators may look at inter alia,
(i) ‘…Nature and gravity of the offence; (ii) …likelihood of accused
absconding from the Court’s jurisdiction; (iii)…likelihood of accused
committing further similar offence and guided by antecedents.’
Thus, it is not necessarily the ‘…sufficiency of surety,’ but whether or not, in the
interest of societal or the safety of an accused person, he/she may be isolated,
that is, ‘…remanded to prison.’
One thing that is very sure, the Police know where to go in order to bring the
accused person to Court on fixed or adjourned dates.’
Too bad our property owners are so hard up for renters that they don’t ask for any references from previous landlords.
I would call this willful neglect because everbody knowns that lots of tenants are freeloaders who make an art out of moving from one place to another leaving months of unpaid rent behind. The law seems to be on the side of these people because it is hard to evict them legally even when they are months behind in their rent.
The strength of a reference checks is as strong as or relevant as the integrity of the reference provider. Therefore,whether or not you ask for a reference before one choose a tenant, does not guarantee an honest renter.
An unscrupulous landlord will always give a good reference in order to get rid of a rotten tenant. Therefore, thefore your point holds no water Ben.
the point is that some people in this world believe they can just have their own way and nobody is going to do anything. hope mr Gibson get’s repaid for the damages.
UNNECESSARY/ILLOGICAL RUMBLINGS
Don’t wish to be entangled in ‘…unnecessary or illogical rumblings.’
Not sure why the focus is on the comments of ‘…C Ben David,’ when
there is so much in the news story to comment on.
A Vincentian living in the Diaspora. Do not know ‘…C. Ben David.’
Know his comments are invariably provocative.
Though it represents free speech, that is what ‘…healthy conversations,’
based on facts or that which might reasonably be inferred, are all about.
If one is asked to provide a ‘…Letter of Reference’ from his/her
last employer, isn’t that employer capable of speaking to the work
ethics or attitude of his former employee?
Relate this to Ben’s comment, it seemed a logical thing to do. Why
would a landlord say that his former tenant was a ‘model’ when he
had endless trouble collecting his rent?
Don’t shoot the messenger, accept the message.
The best way to deal with these situations is to have well drafted contracts put in place that will cause these tenants to pay for any damage done or risk being prosecuted, one’s signature carries a lot of weight most people do not understand this. It bonds you to whatever you sign.
Another practice should be to rent more unfurnished apartments, so when persons damage they will damage their own stuff. Landlords should also keep proper inventory of items take pictures of everything including appliances, furniture, fixtures, cupboards etc and let this form part of the contract and have the tenant sign to this, proper security deposits to cover loss or damage should also be collected as well.