Magistrate Bertie Pompey has given a stern warning to the 19-year-old youth who he sent for psychiatric evaluations twice in one month.
The teen, Jace Baptiste, first appeared before the magistrate in July and has had several run-ins with the law since, resulting in charges of wounding, trespassing, damage to property and theft.
On Oct. 19 and Nov. 21, Pompey ordered that the defendant be psychiatrically evaluated at the Mental Health Rehabilitation Centre for two weeks on each occasion.
On Monday, prosecutor Corporal Delando Charles told the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court that the report from the psychiatric hospital had indicated that Baptiste was fit to plead.
The magistrate then read two charges to Baptiste, who pleaded guilty to both.
Baptiste admitted that between Nov. 17 and 18, at Georgetown, he damaged one lock and chain valued at EC$50, the property of Samuel Baptiste of Georgetown.
He also pleaded guilty to a charge that between Nov 17 and 18, at Georgetown, he stole one black and white ewe goat, valued at EC$400, the property of Samuel Baptiste, of Georgetown.
Charles told the court that on Nov. 17, about 8 a.m., the virtual complainant tied his animals on his farmlands. The next day, he returned to his farm and realised that the goat, chain and lock were missing.
That same day, the Georgetown Police Station received information that Baptiste had been seen with the ewe goat at Chilli Village in Georgetown. The officers were also informed about the whereabouts of the animal.
The officers visited the defendant at home and he admitted to the offences.
The items were recovered but the lock and chain were damaged.
In mitigation, Baptiste told the court, “I am sorry to do it.”
Before handing down his sentence, the magistrate noted that on Nov. 3 Baptiste was found guilty of driving a motor vehicle without a driver’s permit or insurance and his sentence suspended.
Then on Nov. 21, after his first evaluation was completed, the defendant appeared before the magistrate again on the theft and damage to property charges, which were not read to him as another evaluation was ordered.
“The suspended sentence ain’t mean nothing to you? You’ll have to serve time,” the magistrate told the defendant.
“I am going to give you another chance to redeem yourself. Stop play the fool!” Pompey told Baptiste.
“Leave people property alone. If you come back here, you’ll go jail and don’t blame others but yourself. You see so much chances you get and you not stopping at all,” Pompey told the defendant.
The magistrate did not activate the three-month sentence that he had suspended for six months.
For the two new charges, the magistrate suspended the three-month concurrent sentences for three months.
“Stay out ah trouble. And doh come back. You hear me?” the magistrate told Baptiste.
I am under the impression that there is no qualified psychiatrist working for the government in SVG. Please correct me if I am mistaken. If this is the case, I wonder why accused persons are sent for psychiatric evaluation by the court and who conducts the psychiatric evaluation in these situations.