A man accused of slapping and threatening to kill his mother was yesterday placed on $50,000 bail after denying the charges.
The allegation against Joel Niles is that on September 6, at Lot 142 Campbellville Housing Scheme, Georgetown, he unlawfully assaulted Yvonne Niles.
On the same day, he is accused of using threatening language to her, thereby resulting in a breach of the peace.
The man denied the charges when they were read to him by Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.
The court heard from prosecutor Michael Grant that Joel, who still lives with his mother, is in the habit of constantly assaulting her. Grant said that on the day in question, the man went home and during a misunderstanding with his mother he slapped the woman and threatened to kill her. The matter was reported and he was later arrested and charged.
Grant had no objections to Joel being granted bail but asked that he remove from his mother’s residence, pending the determination of the charges.
The unrepresented Joel, when asked by the court for an alternative address, told the magistrate that he would relocate at his deceased grandmother’s 51 Princes Street, Lodge residence, with his nephew.
His mother at this point interjected, telling the court that no one would take him there because of the manner in which he conducts himself.
“How you know nobody ain’t gon tek me?” Joel questioned, causing the court to ask him to conduct himself properly.
According to the complainant, she can no longer endure her son’s disrespectful behaviour.
When asked by the court whether he had previous convictions, Joel responded in the negative but his mother was quick to point out that he had a previous court matter, for which he failed repeatedly to attend court after being granted bail. The matter was stood down for some time for this claim to be ascertained and it was later reported by the prosecutor that on October 31, 2009 the defendant was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment by Magistrate Geeta Chandan-Edmond on a simple larceny charge.
The woman lamented that if granted bail, her son would steal things from her house and not attend court.
The magistrate, however, cautioned her that the charge before the court was not that of simple larceny.
Bail was subsequently granted with the conditions that Niles remove from his mother’s address and that he have no contact with the woman. His matter was transferred to Court Six and will be called again on September 12.
