A Mother’s plea: One asked for leniency, the other for help Loop Barbados

Black Immigrant Daily News

Two mother’s appeared in the Oistin’s Magistrate’s Court on Monday, October 24, on behalf of their sons to make their cases before Magistrate Deidre McKenna.

The first mother came unaccompanied and stood before the magistrate with humility. She said that her son was absent from court on his date because he is now the sole breadwinner in the household. She said that she takes full blame for his absence because he is at work. She told the Magistrate that she came to court to ask for leniency because she has lost her job, another in the home is on maternity leave and now her son is the only one holding down a steady job to pay the $1,500 rent and other expenses.

Magistrate McKenna explained that there is a process and protocols for such. One does not take it upon oneself to tell the person with a court date that he or she can attend work instead. She said that he could have called or came and explained and received a letter for work.

However, the young man got in trouble with the law at a very young age, and his mother was helping repay his outstanding debt, but he alone now is making money for them all in the home.

With her head bowed and arms interlocked behind her back, she asked the magistrate to be lenient, apologised and with a very contrite heart said it would never happen again.

Hours later, a 29-year-old man stood in the dock in handcuffs and though he had antecedents, he said that he had done his time for those and is innocent this time. He said. “I do seven years. I don’t waste de court time, ma’am. When I know I do wrong, I does say so and I ain’t do this.”

The magistrate said that she considered the new matters of theft, loitering and damage of property at the Oistins Police Station are bailable offences but could not grant bail without a suitable surety. Without hesitation, the accused replied, “That easy your honor. I could get my mudda or granmoudda. I just need de officer hey to give a phone call.”

In less than an hour, a tired lady in her work attire entered the court and went into the dock to be sworn in. But first, she asked the magistrate, “Ma’am, can I get some help for him?” She said he is not taking his meds issued by the Psychiatric Hospital and pointing to her head, she added, “he ain’t right up here”.

Magistrate McKenna said that at this stage of the proceedings, she too could only plead and advise the accused to take his medicine. She cannot mandate it or order it. But she also advised the mother that she may have some way to get some help through the Psychiatric Hospital and his assigned doctor.

Speaking to Loop News after the day’s proceedings, Magistrate McKenna said that what was observed in court on Monday was not the norm. She said that many mother’s come to court but they do not speak up on behalf of their children who may be accused of running afoul of the law. In fact, most do not to want to believe that their children do what they are accused of.

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