The students and adults who were involved in a fight at KFC in Kingstown were each given a six-month prison sentence suspended for two years.
Chief Magistrate Colin John handed down the sentence at the Serious Offences Court on Monday to the defendants, Kimron Jacobs, Jazrick Young, 16, a student, of Lower Questelles, Kezron Peters, 17, a car wash attendant, of Campden Park, Verron Holder, 17, a salesperson, of Lowmans Leeward, Gabriel Haywood, 18, a construction worker of Campden Park, and Ivorn Thomas, 23, of Brighton.
They were all charged with committing the offence of affray in Kingstown on Feb. 13.
They were arraigned before the Family Court on Feb. 17, where they pleaded guilty and were remanded into custody.
The matter was transferred to the Serious Offences Court for facts and sentencing on Monday.
Prosecutor Inspector of Police Renrick Cato presented the facts, telling the court that the Bethel High School had sports at Independence Park, in Kingstown.
About 9 p.m., after the athletics meet, several people, including the defendants, went to KFC on Bay Street, Kingstown.
An argument arose between Ivorn Peters and another person who was inside the restaurant.
A fight started between them and as a result, several other people, including the other defendants, took part in the fight.
The participants in the fight used objects inside the restaurant to beat each other.
The matter was reported to the police and CCTV footage of the incident was obtained.
PC 142 Kennedy investigated the matter and received certain information that led to the arrest and charged against the defendant.
They were each cautioned and interviewed and volunteered a statement admitting to the offence.
In their individual statements to the police, the defendants said that the Eight and 6ixx gangs are associated, while the Five and 7even gang are associated.
They said the gangs operate in Georgetown, Campden Park, Lowmans Bay, Sandy Bay, Barrouallie, and Arnos Vale.
John said he joined the gang because of his cousin, telling the court his cousin was being bullied and he had to intervene “in a kind of way”.
Haywood, who dropped out of BHS in Form 3, and John were members of the Police Youth Club.
The magistrate told John that he should take advantage of the many opportunities to learn.
“When you all behave so, it not only causes embarrassment to yourselves but to your families. I hope you learn your lessons,” the chief magistrate told the defendant.
In his submissions to the court, the prosecutor said that after the parents of the defendants entered the court, all of them but Thomas denied being a member of a gang, although they had identified their association and the areas in which gang members hang out.
The prosecutor noted that the offence carries a maximum sentence of one year in prison, occurred in a public place, and involved the defendants damaging the restaurant’s warning signs.
Cato said that as an individual, his inclination was to ask that the defendant be imprisoned but as an officer of the court and as a professional, he asked for a suspended sentence.
“Give them the keys to their own cells. If they want to go back outside with their colleagues and behave like this again, let them send themselves to the prison where they belong,” the prosecutor said.
“The last time I came to court for this matter, a number of their colleagues were outside, some in uniform and they saw the defendants in handcuffs being taken away and if this can’t be a deterrent to them, they have to blame themselves,” Cato further stated.