-court hears
A 31-year-old tailor accused of attempting to kill a 15-year-old girl with whom he had a relationship and then attempting to commit suicide was granted bail when he appeared at the Leonora Magistrate’s Court yesterday. Noel Persaud called ‘Ears Man’ of Lot 40 Independence Street, La Grange, West Bank Demerara pleaded not guilty to attempted murder and attempting to commit suicide and was granted bail in the sum of $100,000 by Magistrate Fazil Azeez.
It is alleged that on March 19 at La Grange, with intent to commit murder, he attempted to administer a poisonous substance to the 15-year-old girl. It is also alleged that on the same day, he attempted to commit suicide.
Reports are that the defendant and the virtual complainant had been engaged in a relationship but the intervention of the Probation and Welfare Department last year saw Persaud being warned to keep away from the girl and to end the relationship. He complied but last month reportedly received information that the girl was engaged in a new relationship. On March 17, it is alleged, he went to the city to purchase some potash and the next day visited the girl at her home and grabbed her around her neck and pulled her upstairs and tried to force her to ingest a piece of the poison. However, his efforts were thwarted by neighbours, who responded to the girl’s screams. The defendant then ran away and ingested a piece of the potash.
Upon the advice of the Director of Public Prosecutions, Persaud was charged. He was ordered to return to court today at the Vreed-en-Hoop Magistrate’s Court.