A man who spent two weeks at the Mental Health and Rehabilitation Centre undergoing a court-ordered assessment has been bonded for using indecent language to a police officer.
Esric Cordice, of Magum, reappeared before the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court on Monday in relation to the charge that on Dec. 30, 2023, he made use of indecent language to PC 277 Fergus to wit, “Man no f***ing talk to me!”
He had pleaded guilty two weeks earlier and the facts were read, but the court decided to send him for a psychiatric evaluation.
The court heard that on Dec. 30, 2023, at 7 p.m., Fergus went to Overland to execute a search warrant at the home of a suspect.
The suspect was seated in the back of a police pickup G2006, when the defendant walked towards the vehicle and stretched towards the suspect.
Fergus said he identified himself as an officer to the defendant and told him what he was doing was wrong.
Fergus said the defendant walked away but later returned.
At that time, Fergus asked Cordice if he attended a particular school and the defendant responded, “Man nah f***ing talk to me”
Fergus said he informed the defendant of the offence of indecent language but he repeated the words and as a result he told the defendant that he was arresting him for the offence.
In response to a question from the prosecutor, Fergus told the court that no one else was speaking with the defendant and it was only the suspect and PC33 Allen who were on the scene.
In his evidence, Cordice, who was very repetitive, told the court that he was walking in the neighborhood when he saw the officers conducting an investigation at his friend’s house.
“The officer saw me coming and grabbed and scuffled me up and say I am not allowed to be there around the transport. I was there a little while then I walked away,” Cordice said.
Cordice told the court that the officer spoke to him in a “manly way and asked me a simple question and I was the one who was rude”.
The magistrate ruled that the defendant spend two weeks at the mental institution for observation and assessment, and reserved sentencing for Feb. 26, based on the institution’s report.
On Monday, Magistrate Bertie Pompey bonded Cordice for a year in the sum of EC$800. If he breaches the bond, he must pay the amount forthwith or spend two months in prison.
Can someone please explain exactly how a psychiatric assessment could possibly be appropriately completed without a psychiatrist in the country? Is being send to the mental institution for “observation and assessment” simply a cruel and unusual form of incarceration?
This is an unnecessary remantbof the colonial times . It is ancient, archaic and dated as can be. It is dldo in conflict with natural justice. The right to free speech bis called into question.
and please will you also tell the officers not to swear to their citizens ?
What is the right to free speech? Thos is one of the few jurisdictions where the right to free speech is enforced by the judiciary. This is rather shambolic.