by Linda Straker
- Fine for Causing Harm is a maximum of EC$3,000
- 4 of the 6 men charged pleaded guilty
- One man charged for Assault on Anderson Peters did not appear in court to answer charges
Crew members of the Harbour Master who are facing criminal charges after assaulting Anderson Peters, one of Grenada’s sporting icons, and his brother Kiddon, onboard the vessel during a brawl last week Wednesday, are facing a maximum fine of EC$3,000 and a minimum of 12 months in jail.
4 of the 6 men charged with various harm offences to the Peters brothers during the brawl, pleaded guilty to the charges and will be sentenced on Wednesday, 17 August 2022.
5 of the men appeared at the St George’s Magistrate Court on Monday where the charges of Causing Harm, Causing Harm with violence, and Causing Grievous Harm with Violence were read to them.
John Alexander, 55 years, Deckhand of Arima; Mikhail John, 35 years, Sailor of San Juan; Noel Cooper, 42 years, Captain of Gurpe; and Sheon Jack, 28 years, Sailor of Cocorite all answered guilty to the charges.
Lance Wiggins, 45 years, Sailor of Cocorite who was facing the same charges, pled not guilty and the prosecution team then informed the court that they will not proceed with the matter.
Abiola Benjamin, 40 years, Operations Manager/Police Officer of Maraval who was charged for Assault on Anderson Peters, did not appear in court to answer the charges. The media is yet to find out the circumstances for his absence.
Grenada’s Criminal Code states that “Whoever intentionally and unlawfully causes harm to any person shall be liable to imprisonment for three years and Whoever intentionally and unlawfully causes grievous harm to any person shall be liable to imprisonment for five years.”
The fine for Causing Harm is a maximum of EC$3,000. However, an individual who commits such an offence can be fined and imprisoned for up to 1 year.
Violence is defined in the Code as any criminal force or harm to any person, any criminal mischief to any property, or any threat or offer of such force, harm or mischief, or the carrying or use of deadly, dangerous, or offensive instruments in such a manner as that terror is likely to be caused to any persons, or such conduct as is likely to cause in any persons a reasonable apprehension of criminal force, harm or mischief to them or to their property.
A fight on a party boat, what are the odds of that?
Were the defendants who pleaded guilty tepresented?