Two vendors accused of behaving in a disorderly manner in the courtroom of the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court were admitted to bail in the sum of $25,000 each when they appeared before acting Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry yesterday.
The allegation is that on September 28 at Court Ten of the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court, a public place, Harold Sampson and Morris Stanton behaved in a disorderly manner.
Both men pleaded not guilty to the joint charge of disorderly behaviour when it was read to them by the acting chief magistrate at Court One of the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.
Meanwhile, Sampson was also charged with the offences of resisting arrest and assaulting a peace officer and he pleaded not guilty.
The allegation is that on September 28 at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court, the accused resisted arrest by Police Constable Colin Douglas while in the execution of his duties and assaulted the said police constable.
With respect to the joint charge, Prosecutor Stephen Telford in giving the facts of the case told the court that on the day in question, the duo who have a pending matter in Court Ten began behaving in an unruly manner when they appeared before Magistrate Geeta Chandan Persid-Edmond.
According to Telford, the men in their address to the court displayed a very angry manner and began speaking in a loud tone.
Though cautioned by the magistrate and the court orderly to desist, the prosecutor said that the men continued and when ordered to leave the courtroom they refused.
Prosecutor Telford told the court that the charge for which the men were before Court Ten stemmed from an arrest instituted by the city constables accusing the defendants of illegal vending.
The men were not asked by Magistrate Sewnarine-Beharry to relate their version of what transpired regarding the joint charge matter.
In responding to the two additional charges for which Sampson was required to answer he told the court that the city constables frequently harass him at the stall he operates.
He added that he never behaved in a disorderly manner in the courtroom but was merely asking the police why he needed to leave the courtroom when asked by Constable Douglas to do so.
Both of the defendants were admitted to bail in the sum of $25,000 each, and ordered to return to court on October 20 for commencement of the trial.
