If Chief Magistrate Ian Weekes had his way, he would order complainants, who drop cases after they have gone to police, to pay as much as $10 000 for wasting police’s time.
“I just want it [the legislation] for this to be in such a way that I could charge wunna $10 000,” he said yesterday.
The Chief Magistrate made the comments in the District “A” Magistrates’ Court after a mother discontinued the case against her son, who had been charged with assaulting her, and a woman did the same in a case brought against her child’s father.
Ronica Lionel Maynard, 23, of Pleasant Hall, St Matthias, Christ Church, had been charged with assaulting his mother Michelle Maynard on December 21.
The complainant later appeared and said she was no longer interested in “going forward with the charge”. (HLE)
It happened once and it would happen again. The next time an assault happens, it’s my hope that the police doesn’t show up.