Woman Admits Possessing Knife & Threats
A 25 year old woman appeared in Magistrates Court today [Jan 20] where she admitted possessing a knife and threatening another woman, explaining to the Court that the woman was dating the father of her children and had been calling and texting her.
Ms Leslie Dill pleaded guilty to charges including possessing a bladed article, uttering threatening words to another woman and behaving in a threatening manner by chasing the other woman.
This happened at a Dundonald Street premises on Thursday 16th January 2014.
Crown Prosecutor Takiyah Burgess told Senior Magistrate Archie Warner that after coming to the other woman’s place of work, and while armed with the knife, Ms Dill had chased after her and told the other woman: “I’m going to kill you. You look like Yellow Man. I’m going to stab you in the eye.”
The Crown Prosecutor told the Magistrate that other employees intervened, grabbed and restrained Ms Dill, and that in grabbing her, Ms Dill had dropped the knife which, in the struggle, was stepped on and had its handle broken.
Two days later Ms Dill turned herself in at Hamilton Police Station.
Replying to the Magistrate’s questions, Ms Dill explained to the Magistrate that she was the mother of two children; that the other woman was now in a relationship with the man who was the father of Ms Dill’s two children; that she was unemployed and had not worked since 2010; and that child support was provided by a combination of the children’s father and her parents.
Asked to explain why, armed with a knife, she left her residence to come to town to attack someone else; Ms Dill told the Magistrate that “…she kept calling my phone and I just snapped…”
Ms Dill also told the Magistrate that she was trying to get her G.E.D. and was currently attending courses. Police Media Relations Manager Dwayne Caines addressed the Court, saying he was tutoring her for her G.E.D and that from his knowledge of her, this behaviour seemed out of character.
Ms Dill was granted $2,000 bail and required to provide a surety. Ms Dill must return for sentencing on 11th March 2014 after a Social Inquiry Report has been completed.
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- 25 Yr Old Woman Given Probation For Threats | Bernews.com | May 20, 2014
I would say stress probably from not working since 2010
I would also say she probably wasn’t counted amongst the number of the unemployed in the recent employment report however for the sake of the naysayers I will be upfront and say I have no evidence to back up this opinion
Friends and family.
Children having children.. the most pressing social disease.
aint that the truth! not one, but two of em too!
Totally agree with you but, I will add too your point that she doesn’t even have a GED, and is having children????
She better get jail time. Showing up at someone’s job w/ a knife and picking a fight is ridiculous.
children having children isn’t the most pressing social disease. that has been going on since the beginning of time…STUPIDITY is the most pressing social disease.
She will not get jail time because she is a mother. Which to me a sad because it not setting examples. This seems to be a trend that these young women act like this with no penalty.
Out of work for 4 years yes but I am sure she had kids within the time so why be self fish and have kids and you can not provide for them. Please Bermudian Women get your lives together.
I will have to go with Terry on this One
slap on the wrist is all she is going to
get
I read this story in absolute this disgust!!. No person, let alone a young woman or a mother should think that it is acceptable to show up at someone’s place of work with a knife looking to harm them. Why should this individual receive a slap on the wrist for this CRIME. Who knows what would have happened or could have happened if the intended victim’s co-workers had not intervened?? Or What type of sentence would the assailant be facing IF it was a young male who showed up on someone’s job with a knife with the intent to harm them??? Adults who leave home carrying a weapon with the intent to inflict physical harm on another human being should be made to suffer real consequences of their actions. We can’t keep letting our standards slip here in Bermuda, particularly when it comes to criminal behaviour. As the Baretta theme song goes “Don’t do the crime, if you can’t do the time!” AND who cares which upstanding member of the community puts in a good word on your behalf. I think that it is time that the good samaritan types who voucher for these young people AFTER they have committed a SERIOUS offence stop condoning bad/criminal behaviour!!!!
OMG – I must apologise for my typos!!!
LBBean I concur you are on Point.
But It Amazes me how bias the Courts
are depending who is in your Corner,
words are so true >>>>> Its not what
you do its about who you Know
@ LBBean and BUZZ: This case saddens me, I was in court Yesterday, not for that case but a non-related matter. What bothered me was: the young lady at the center of the story is in crisis, self-imposed no less still in crisis. She has 2 children age 2 and six and most of the financial support she receives is from the child’s father and other family members also, let’s not forget she has not worked in 3 years. Add to this scenario the fact that she went to a woman’s job armed with a knife and behaved like a lunatic it almost seems like and open and shut case or better yet, an episode of Bad Girls club, or Love and Hip hop The Bermuda Edition.
What is interesting to me was, I only know of this young lady as her teacher in a GED Program at my church on and off for the last 3 years. In my interaction she can only be described as kind, responsive, mild mannered and soft spoken. In fact my challenge weekly was to get her to speak above a whisper in class. So you can imagine my shock and horror listening to the charges that she was up against in court. Going to a woman’s job threatening her with a knife six inches long…..I was speechless. I watched and listened as this young lady stood dazed and confused in the “dock” as the judge and prosecutor discussed her charges. This young lady looked, , embarrassed, ashamed, humiliated. (if you have ever been in that position you know the feeling) Clearly this was not a position that she had ever been in before as she had a clean record before this set of unfortunate circumstances.
I sat in the court’s gallery confused and conflicted. Do I simply say nothing and let justice prevail? Do I mind my own business as I am there on official police business? After all, she went with a knife and committed a premeditated act, she disrupted a place of business and she had someone fearing for their life. The young lady (25) was very small framed, hair was out of place and she was barely speaking above a whisper resulting in the judge asking her to come out of the prisoners dock and stand in front of the bench so he could hear her as she was speaking so softly. As she was walking to her spot, I was convinced it was my duty to speak on her behalf. It is important to note, she did not ask me to speakon her behalf. I went to the front of the court and told the judge, “I cannot speak to the specifics of this case, and I was in court on another unrelated matter but I am compelled to speak to what I know about this young lady.” I went on to say “I taught her and she was polite, kind and well-mannered and from the person I know this was not a reflection of the person I know”.
I know what this young lady did was wrong, and she must be punished for what she did as it is unacceptable and at no time should we as a society have to deal with that kind of madness.
However, there is a redemptive value in everyone. This young lady presently is in crisis, her circumstances (not working for 3 years with two kids) tells us she needs help. When people are at their worst we must still be able to look at all of the circumstances and see the good or potential in them. Whilst still allowing for those same individuals to take responsibility for their actions. It is my hope that we do not give up on our young people and we don’t simply read the newspapers and blogs and speak of them negatively or let that shape the whole picture of who they are. We sometimes have to stand even when it makes us uncomfortable and be a voice for those without one. If we don’t become role models , mentors and friends it is a bleak outlook for us all. I believe in JUSTICE But I thank God For Mercy.
I hear you but still do not believe justice will be served by a “wrist slap” for such a serious offence in which she had to be physically restrained from escalating potential loss of life or life changing injuries.
You can’t use “I just snapped” as a defence strategy. The courts would be full of this.
I stole that bottle of rum and steaks because I hadn’t had a steak dinner in months and I just snapped.
I stole that bike because I’ve been catching the bus for a year while watching people ride by and I just snapped.
I punched that guy in the face because I see him dating my ex-girlfriend and I still love her and I just snapped.
Would you accept any of those reasons for committing a crime from a softly spoken, well mannered woman (or man)?
As the judge I’d be more interested in what steps she took to prevent receiving calls from the (silly?) woman that kept badgering her. If she tried all legal means that were in her finances to pursue then maybe there could be some chance of leniency. But to come with “I just snapped”? What precedent would be set by allowing this lame defence alone to invoke leniency?
Ride
My Belief is that Any One Deserves a Chance But there has to be Consequence for Bad Behavior !
@ Dwayne Caines, going From your own Words;
Add to this scenario the fact that she went to a woman’s job armed with a knife and behaved like a lunatic it almost seems like and open and shut case or better yet, an episode of Bad Girls club, or Love and Hip hop The Bermuda Edition,
Thats just to Start then you further Continue on to State.
know what this young lady did was wrong, and she must be punished for what she did as it is unacceptable and at no time should we as a society have to deal with that kind of madness.
So You your self See that this is Unexceptionable Behavior.
What Kinna Message does This Send To Anyone young or Old that this
type of behavior should be Tolerated in this Community .
Further More your name was Never Mentioned !
So I dont see why you would have Issue with why LLBean My Self or any one else would have Issue in This Case.
@buzz you missed my point. I agree with you and LLBean!! I do not think we should accept her behavior. I was clarifying my position and establishing the circumstances of what took place in court. Again you are right we should NOT ACCEPT this behavior.
Remember I sit and deal with the worst of who we are as a community everyday in my professional role everyday so you are preaching to the choir. Sometimes there is more than meets the eye that is all I was saying. Please know I understand you point and I do not make it a practice to condone or accept bad or poor behavior. All the best to you.
Well here she goes again tormenting another family….Ms Dill i don’t by any means condone your behaviour but we have walked in your shoes with this individual,and as soon as she is confronted whether it be verbal or threats she runs to the police,i feel your frustration as Ms also has two children of her own…she also needs to be charged for something also…she has not been made to as there is ALWAYS two sides of a story…Ms.Dill i hope you can get your point across in your SIR/social inquiry report…i’m keeping a close eye on this….
I recognise that no man is perfect and we ALL make mistakes. However, NO matter what we have going on in our lives we cannot allow our frustrations to lead us to think that it is ever acceptable to raise a weapon with the intent to harm another human being. There have always been single parents in this world who find the daily effort of raising and providing for their children a true grinding struggle and currently Bermuda is facing a downturn in its economy that we have never seen before which has resulted in a number of good standing individuals finding themselves unemployed for long periods of time. A message needs to be sent to the community that being a struggling single parent or being unemployed or being a first-time offender, does not give one a free pass to go on a rampage and commit a serious criminal offence. Laws are put in place for several reasons, with one being to prevent anarchy. Bermuda is at a serious crossroads right now and if we allow too much slippage we may end up going down a path that is very difficult to come back from. And yes, I think that we should never give up on anyone but people must be made to suffer real consequences for their criminal actions otherwise they may become desensitised to these type of behaviours making it easier from them to commit future crimes. Plus a precedent needs to be set to show others who are thinking about acting like a “lunatic” that they will have to face real consequences if they choose to follow through on these inappropriate thoughts. We can offer emotional support to those individuals who commit a mistake whilst acting out of character, but we need to very careful about the messages that we send to them at the same time.
I love my Bermuda far too much to condone ‘crazy’ behaviour!
Amen !
@Dwayne Caines: I personally applaud u for standing up for dis young lady and stating the facts because far to many times people(including me) comment on stuff we know nothing about but yet we have all these ideas of how de system should deal with these individuals. This could be a one off thing for her but yet we are ready to throw her to the wolves! Me personally I don’t believe in second chances I believe in chances and if you are a person dat doesn’t make mistakes den my hat goes off to you. I just know dat people make mistakes everyday an it shouldn’t be our duty to judge dem but to help dem to do better in a society dat is consumed with judge mental people. I for one hopes dis young lady gets a light sentence(can’t get off scott free sends de wrong message)continues her studies and obtains her GED. Mr Caines keep up de good work for men like you are needed in dese times were boys reside in men’s bodies!
I’ve known Ms. Dill when she was a sparkle in her mother’s eye. She has never been a violent or abusive person. I believe this must be her first encounter with a fight. Ms. Dill I am so sorry that you have been dragged into her endless web of torment and pray that you recover from this experience.