A surety’s duty is to get the accused to court – and Kyle Egan Nathaniel Blackman’s aunt made sure of that.
She did not hide the fact that she had to use force to get her charge to the District “A” Magistrates’ Court on Thursday.
Blackman, 24, whose charge sheet initially listed him as having no fixed place of abode, had been charged with having cannabis on October 16. He had spent a month on remand at HMP Dodds before he was released into the custody of his aunt, who signed bail in the sum of $1 000. A condition of that bail was that he live with the woman at Flat Rock, St George, and not frequent certain areas. He was to return to court on March 7.
However, the woman, with Blackman in tow, appeared in court on Thursday and explained that the accused had not been keeping his end of the bargain.
“He like he got a job ’cause when I get up to get my son ready for school, he ain’t nowhere ’bout there,” she told the court, adding she heard he was liming in Black Rock, St Michael.
“I ain’t see he for days and then when I see he under a tree I give he a lash and drag he home,” she declared as the court tried hard to stifle a laugh.
But the woman admitted she did not want to see him remanded. She said she was still willing to “try with he”, but revealed she was scheduled to leave the island for a month.
Magistrate Douglas Frederick adjourned the matter until February 20 when the accused and his surety are scheduled to return to court. (HLE)


