Man admits punching family friend
An outpatient at the Mid Atlantic Wellness Institute (MWI) this morning admitted punching a family friend, breaking his nose.Jerome Thomas, 36, from Warwick, pleaded guilty in Magistrates’ Court to one count of causing grievous bodily harm to Shawn Thomas in an incident at the defendant’s home. The court heard that the two men are not related.Prosecutor Carrington Mahoney said that at around 7pm on December 23, the victim and friends were drinking when, without warning, the defendant started punching the victim in the face.When officers arrived at the scene of the disturbance, the defendant already left the area, but he later returned and spoke to officers. Asked about the incident, he told the officers: “Yes I punched him. I’m tired of him talking about me.”He later told officers that he is a patient at MWI, but had not been taking his medication.Senior Magistrate Archibald Warner ordered psychiatric, psychological and social inquiry reports be carried out, releasing Thomas on $2,000 bail and a like surety until May 28.