Magistrate: Your Mother Is Your Jailer
In Magistrates Court yesterday [Nov.15], sixteen year-old Taaj Muhammad was bailed into the care and custody of his caregivers along with a Court imposed curfew, with the Magistrate telling the teen his mother is “now his jailer.”
The teenager had pleaded guilty to a charge of robbing another teenager of his $175 gold chain on 24th September in an incident that took place in St George’s.
In the evidence read into the record, it was said that in the course of the robbery, saying that it “this is payback time”, the teenage robber had lifted his shirt and displayed what was said to be a handgun tucked into his waistband. However, through his lawyer Peter Farge, the admitted robber denied having possessed or shown a gun.
The Court was also told that the victim had later gone to the defendants usual residence, his 81 year-old great-grandmother’s house, and had retrieved the chain.
Asked by the Magistrate why he had committed the act, the defendant said: “No explanation.” Pressed by the Magistrate he said: “I liked it. I don’t know why.”
His mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother were in Court and all three spoke on his behalf. His mother said that the great-grandmother was the primary caregiver and that the teenager usually stayed there, but would sometimes stay with his grandmother. They also gave evidence that he was a student at a Technical school and hoped to go away to further is studies.
Telling the teenager: “I was thinking of remanding you to COED”, Senior Magistrate Archie Warner ordered a a Social Inquiry Report and re-appearance on 15th December. He granted the teenager $2,000 bail with one Surety.
The Magistrate set bail conditions of a 9:00pm to 6:00am curfew at his residence; that any movement outside this curfew and away from his residence required that he be accompanied by an adult family member; and that he must report to Hamilton Police Station every Monday between 8:00am and 8:00pm.
The Magistrate then told the youth that his mother was now his jailer.
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WTH – what business does an 81yo great grandmother have in raising a 16yo teenager? Both the mother and grandmother should have been given a curfew to look after the delinquent they have created. Damn ridiculous!
…yes, the grandmother too! What right thinking woman would put that burden on their 81 year old Mother????
His mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother were in Court and all three spoke on his behalf.
Four generations of this family in court and no Daddy in sight.
A legacy of children having children having children & not a deddy to be seen let alone a father.