An 80-year-old woman who was given a chance to decide whether her grandson should go to prison, used her words to slam the cell door shut with him inside.
As a result, Jamel Douglas, 38, of Dascent Cottage, will spend the next 11 months in prison for assaulting his grandmother, Kerhen Jacobs, of Lodge Village, on Dec. 26, 2025 — Boxing Day — causing actual bodily harm.
However, when he is released from prison, he has two months to compensate the woman EC$270 for her cellphone, which he smashed during the same incident, or spend a further six months in prison.
Douglas first appeared in court on Monday, Dec. 29, 2025, and pleaded guilty to a charge that on Dec. 26, 2025, at Lodge Village, without lawful excuse he damaged one black Nokia cellular phone valued at EC$270, Jacobs’ property, intending to damage such property.
He also pleaded guilty to a charge that he assaulted Jacobs, causing actual bodily harm.
Douglas was remanded in prison until Wednesday for the hearing of the facts and sentencing.
During the sentencing hearing, the prosecutor, Shamrack Pierre, had suggested that Douglas be given a suspended sentence.
However, when Chief Magistrate Colin John asked Jacobs what she thought about that, she replied:
“Well, I can’t go against the court. Whatever the court says, I have to satisfy. That ain’t mean that he going behave himself better. … He is very rough and rude. Sometimes, you talk to him and he listen, other times he don’t.”
She pointed out that Douglas is repeatedly aggressive to her.
“So, whatever the court decides, I can’t go against it and I won’t go against it,” Jacobs said.
Presenting the facts, prosecutor police constable A. Soleyn told the court that Douglas and Jacobs live in separate houses in the same yard.
On Dec. 26, at 5 p.m., Jacobs was at her home in Lodge Village in her porch in conversation with a friend, when the Douglas showed up at her house and sat on a table.
Jacobs told Douglas that she was having a conversation and asked him to excuse himself.
As a result, Douglas jumped on top of the table and began behaving aggressively.
Jacobs had her cellular phone in hand and made a phone call. Douglas pulled the cellular phone out of Jacobs’ hand and, in doing so, squeezed the fourth finger on her left hand.
He then took the phone and slammed it to the ground, and left.
The police were contacted and conducted an investigation, which led to Douglas being charged.
In mitigation, Douglas gave a rambling excuse for his action, telling the court that he had had a history of mental illness but his last episode was over five years ago.
He presented himself as unfairly treated by the other members of his family.
After hearing Douglas’ mitigation, the chief magistrate told Douglas that he thought he would have used the opportunity to apologise to his grandmother.
Douglas then went on to apologise to his grandmother even as he made excuses for his actions.
The chief magistrate told Douglas that a person’s home is their castle.
“Your grandmother should be allowed to enjoy her home in comfort without disturbance by you,” John.
“You are a big man; you are 38 years old, and you should not be going there to harass your grandmother.
“I have to ensure that at least for the next 11 months that your grandmother enjoys some level of comfort without you interfering with her…
“I hope that you learn when you are in prison and not repeat that behaviour.”
Should be put away for a longer time he’s be abusing his grandparents from since 2008
Any mental health assessment considered ?
That’s what happen when parents, teachers,grandparents or other family members ca’t discpline chidren.
👎 No no. It should have been 10 years and twenty strokes with the cat of nine tails.