Man arrested for fighting ? missed arraignment

A 19-year-old missed Monday?s Supreme Court arraignments session on a charge of robbery and stealing because he had gotten into a punch-up with his girlfriend?s father.

Leigh Jonathan Swann, of North Shore Road, Hamilton Parish appeared in yesterday?s Plea Court session jointly charged with Eric Mark Chase, 42, of Valley Heights, Devonshire with fighting.

The men, both showing injuries, pleaded guilty to fighting, but Swann claimed he was defending himself while Chase said that as long as the younger man stayed away from his daughter and stopped beating her up things would be better.

Swann also claimed that when he fought with his girlfriend it was in self-defence and that he had recently been stabbed by the girl.

Acting Senior Magistrate Carlisle Greaves questioned why Swann would want to be with someone who beat him up and fined both men $500 each.

Swann missed being charged with four others ? including a woman ? with robbing the Grotto Bay Hotel on April 22, and taking $4,558.90. It is not known if the higher court?s warrant is still in effect.

Man admits assaulting estranged wife

A 57-year-old man told Acting Senior Magistrate Carlisle Greaves that if a little slap in the face was considered grievous bodily harm then he was guilty.

Noel Butterfield of North Street in Pembroke was charged with slapping his estranged wife, grabbing her breast and attempting to spray her with bug spray after he looked after his two children.

In Magistrates? Court yesterday, Mr. Greaves told Butterfield that violence against women was the toughest area of justice for him. The court learned that Butterfield and his wife had limited contact and that he often looked after their children and he said he was provoked on the evening of July 21 when his wife said he could not eat dinner with the children.

Butterfield explained that when he picked up the can of bug spray he was just going to ?pop? his wife in the head but when his son started to cry he put the can down. Because Butterfield was allowed to be at his wife?s house Mr. Greaves explained that although he knew how ?outraged? the community is when it comes to domestic abuse.

The magistrate said he took into account the man?s guilty plea and that he had no previous convictions and fined him $1,000.

Caught with heroin, Sandys man apologises

A 46-year-old man told Acting Senior Magistrate Carlisle Greaves he was sorry after being caught with heroin.

Tyrone Wilson, of Spring Benny Road, Sandys was arrested on June 27 on suspicion of possessing heroin at Admiralty Park, which was then being used by a youth camp.

Crown counsel Shakira Dill told Magistrates? Court that Police arrived at the increased penalty zone and noticed Wilson was acting suspiciously and grabbing at the pocket of his pants. Police found on him two brown, paper twists containing black capsules and a clear package with a brown substance containing .28 grams of diamorphine or heroin. The black capsules did not contain anything.

Last week, defence lawyer Llewellyn Peniston said Wilson was sorry for what had happened. Mr. Greaves fined him $1,000 for possession and another $1,000 for being in an increased penalty zone.

Four men deny damaging Police car

Four men appeared at Magistrates? Court for allegedly damaging a Police car.

Gavin O?Connor, 34 of Stardust Drive, Hamilton Parish, Che Pennyman, 33, also of Stardust Drive, Lindley Scott, 39, of Rec-View Hill Road, Devonshire, and Jevon Bean, 30, of Stadium Heights, Devonshire all pleaded not guilty to unlawfully damaging a Police car, using threatening behaviour and throwing stones and other missiles on September 10.

Acting Senior Magistrate Carlisle Greaves released the four men each on $500 bail for mention tomorrow.

St. George?s man forgot he had cannabis

A 22-year-old man found carrying cannabis at the Airport claimed he forgot the drug was in his pocket.

Danilo DeShields, of Cove Valley, St. David?s, told Magistrates? Court: ?I wouldn?t be stupid enough to bring in that.?

But Acting Senior Magistrate Carlisle Greaves told DeShields that if he made the mistake of smoking marijuana in the first place he was bound to err again.

DeShields, who pleaded guilty to importing cannabis on August 18, was fined $1,000.

Crown counsel Shakira Dill said that on inspection at H.M. Customs at the Bermuda International Airport drug sniffer dogs indicated something was in DeShields? pocket.

It was found to contain a plastic Ziploc bag filled with plantlike material. When asked what the substance was DeShields replied: ?It?s weed.?

The plastic bag was later analysed and contained .59 grams of cannabis.

Man told not to treat cops like ?dogs?

A 20-year-old narrowly escaped jail after punching and kicking a Police officer in the face.

David Signor, of Pain Lane West, St. George?s, was described as a ?vagabond? and a ?bully? by Acting Senior Magistrate Carlisle Greaves last week after the assault on the Police officer outside the Ozone nightclub in August. Magistrates? Court was told that Signor, who has no previous convictions, was seen by officers swearing at two females in a large crowd that had gathered outside the club at 3.30 a.m. on August 3.

When P.c. Frederick Smith spoke to him, Signor punched him in the side of the head, Crown counsel Shakira Dill told the court. When the officer attempted to arrest the man other people in the crowd threw beer bottles at the policeman.

A few minutes later he attempted to arrest him again and Signor kicked the officer in the chest and the jaw, the officer later required hospital treatment for abrasions and bruising.

Again when confronted by Police, Signor swore at them.

Police eventually handcuffed and arrested him and he was charged with assaulting a Police officer and using threatening words. ?This is a malicious act, you know,? said Mr. Greaves. ?If you had any previous convictions I would lock you up. You fellas are behaving like vagabonds.

?You need to get the message that we will not tolerate this junk. I am so vexed. You fellas are so violent, over what? Over what? You are just bullies. You act so silly, I would have no problem putting you in jail. Policemen are not dogs, so don?t treat them like they are.?

Signor was told to pay a $1,000 fine immediately or face 90 days in jail.