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Two of the accused soldiers, Brently Butler, left and Keri Phillips. (Photo: Facebook)
Two of the accused soldiers, Brently Butler, left and Keri Phillips. (Photo: Facebook)
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Three Vincentians serving in the British Armed Forces have been granted bail but barred from leaving St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) until the court disposes of attempted murder, unlawful possession of a firearm, and unlawful discharge of firearm charges against them.

Keithron Mills and Brently Butler, of Chester Cottage and England, pleaded not guilty to the respective firearms charge against them today (Monday) when they appeared before the Serious Offences Court in Kingstown.

Keri Phillips, of the same address, was not required to plead to the indictable charge of attempted murder. 

Mills is charged that on Sunday, Jan. 2, 2022, at Georgetown, he had in his possession a .45 pistol, serial number AOC52189, without a licence issued under the Firearms Act.

He was granted EC$10,000 bail with one surety and ordered to report to the Georgetown Police Station on Fridays between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. 

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His next court date is Jan. 17

Phillips is charged that on Dec. 26, 2021, with intent to commit the offence of murder on Istah Mack, of Chester Cottage, he did an act which was more than merely preparatory to the commission of the offence. 

Mack told iWitness News on Dec. 27, 2021 that he was shot while outside his mother’s home, in Chester Cottage on Dec. 26.

It was the second time that he was shot since 2017 and he has concluded that the attacks on him are linked to a 2015 stabbing death in Byera with which his nephew was charged and later acquitted. 

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On Monday, Chief Magistrate Rechanne Browne granted Phillips EC$20,000 bail with one surety and ordered him to have no contact with Mack

The accused man is to report to the Georgetown Police Station on Fridays, between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m.

Meanwhile, Butler is charged that on Dec. 24, at Mt Young, he unlawfully discharged a firearm at Emi Balcombe, of Langley Park.

Butler was granted EC$9,000 bail with one surety and was ordered to report to the Georgetown Police Station on Wednesdays between 6 a.m., and 6 p.m.

He returns to court on Jan. 10.

The court has ordered each of the accused men to surrender their travel documents, and to seek the permission of the court to leave the state.

The court has also ordered that stop notices be placed at ports of entry and exit, preventing the accused men from leaving the country without permission. 

Disclosure is to be made within one week. 

Counsel Grant Connel represents Mills and Duane Daniel represents Phillips and Butler.

13 replies on “Vincies in British Army on attempted murder, gun charges in SVG”

  1. Alwayn Leacock says:

    Sad they will loose their jobs in the U.K. and rights to remain if they are not yet citizens. I sometimes wonder how foolish these guys could get. They come back home and flash off why not just have a quiet stay with relatives and keep a low profile

  2. The attemted murder goin be thrown out …theres no evidence against them.. the guy who got shot says he believes its them or suspect it them… on the other hand the possession of the 45 nd the discharge charges goin stick ..

  3. Truly not satisfy hearing they got bail Really and truly in a state of shock here Knowing myself have run in with the law from 1990 to 2010 And to my knowledge when you are on does charge’s Where someone got shot or by you discharging a firearm in public no Firearm recovered then the police must have time to do their investigation But giving bail is and could be a big humbug God knows Wow

  4. Ronald Bailey says:

    I am not surprised at all that well trained military personnel could behave like common criminals because that is the culture in which they are raised and which help form their values. I hope the King Man rather world boss has enough sense that even he can’t be too secured in the hell he helped foster as there is the capability in the Island to making him like a sitting duck as it is possible some of these men might be trained as snipers.

  5. In the UK even if the charges might be thrown out just the fact that they were even brought up on these charges is a crime in the eyes of their employer The British Army. Keep your head down and do your job

  6. Two strikes against them, one being black, second [allegedly] getting caught with and illegal firearm. You two screwed yourself by being to cooky.

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