“Street kid” Romano Warren, an 18-year-old of Ottley Hall, was brought before the Serious Offences Court in Kingstown on Monday, charged with the murder of a teen the same age in Kingstown on Nov. 11.
Warren is charged in connection with the killing of Gary Bute, of Riley, who died in hospital after being stabbed on Melville Street, around 10:45 a.m. that day.
When Warren entered the dock, Chief Magistrate Colin John asked him his age.
The accused man was not represented by a lawyer during the court appearance.
Warren told the court he was 15, but one of the detectives involved in the case presented the accused man’s birth certificate to the court, showing his age.
The magistrate read and explained the charge to Warren, telling him that he was not allowed to plead at that stage and that he would also not be granted bail.
Warren told the court that he understood.
John initially set the preliminary inquiry for Jan. 6, 2026, telling the lead investigator that while he had more than a month before the next court hearing, that was no reason for him to sit on the investigation and then scramble to complete it one week before.
However, counsel Grant Connell, who was at the bar table but not involved in the case, rose and said that, given the factual matrix of the case and Warren’s age, he did not see any reason why the Bar Association would not send a lawyer to assist the accused.
“I don’t know if that could speed up the matter,” Connell said and asked that the next hearing in the matter take place on Monday to allow the President of the Bar Association, Shirlan “Zita” Barnwell, to decide which lawyer to assign to the case
The lawyer said that he also assists with such cases but had a lot on his plate.
He told the court that he would speak to Barnwell on the matter.
The case was adjourned to Monday.
This is sad on many levels. Something NEEDS to be done about so many kids living on the streets (vagrant too). This issue will continue to fester and the stories will become worse. Please, whoever wins the next government, please have this issue as a top agenda matter!
This is so sad .I have son’s around his age. I feel it
He should be jailed for life
I’m proud to see that while this child may have done something wrong he seems to have been treated with compassion and kindness
This is what the priminister should be involved in trying to provide the help the tools for the youth who needs structure guidance education meaningful things that they can be involved in instead of living on the streets hopeless having too much time on their hands thus leading to such situations Draft them into the army the police academy that will strengthen protect build up the island.learning a trade etc., giving them hope and a future instead of hopelessness at such a crucial stage in their young lives.This is so sad.Hopelessness and need leads to all kinds of situations like this.The govt is for the people invest in the people especially the youth to avoid situations..
What are the facts of the case/matter and hard core evidence? When I see a person writing he should be jailed for life, it shows the public people will write without important information!!! This is a sad story that needs/requires social intervention for him and many other children in SVG/Caribbean.
Here again is where DISCPLINE is missing in SVG and through the world. Parents and teachers must be given the authority to punish children before they become criminals. Why try to discipline teachers and parents when they discipline these children.
He’s no kid and he’s lying. It jail time and he must stay there for more than 20 years.
Eugenea what are you proud of? Talks like that ignore what the other child parents are going through.
He used to come by me for $1&$2 and i never see no aggression in him even if i speak to him hash somtimes, I wish I could help him even more now he is my friend I new him a couple years now he fish on the old warff behind the financial complex to occupy himself differently somtimes, it’s such an unfortunate situation all these kids on the streets with out care taking and proper parenting,I see myself taking some of the blame for not talking to him in a more responsible way as an elderly o my God this one cought me unexpected I didn’t see it coming 😭😭😭 forgive me help us help him be with him it may would’ve been a mistake it’s not an easy one for both relation