17-Year-Old Denies Courtroom Escapade
17-year-old Wakeem Philpott will remain in custody after pleading not guilty in yesterday’s [Aug 9] Plea Court to four charges stemming from an incident on Tuesday [Aug 7] in Magistrate’s Court #4.
Philpott, at the time in custody in the prisoner’s enclosure inside the Courtroom, is alleged to have broken out of the enclosure, run through and damaged the gate that separates the public from the lawyer’s desks, and run out of the Courtroom into the hallway.
He was allegedly caught by security guards who returned him to Courtroom 4 and to the prisoner’s enclosure. Once back inside the enclosure, he is alleged to have struggled with two police officers.
The action resulted in Philpott facing four charges. Escaping lawful custody, willfully damaging a Magistrate’s Court door, and using threatening words to two police officers. At the time, in Courtroom 4, Magistrate Edward Bailey was presiding.
Philpott pleaded not guilty to all four charges. He was represented by lawyer Simon Payne and Mr Payne asked that the matter be dealt with expeditiously as Philpott was scheduled to re-appear in Court 4 on another matter.
The Crown objected to bail and on these four matters, Magistrate Tyrone Chin remanded into Philpott into custody and gave him a trial date of 16th November 2012.
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What is this “Alleged” business?
[edited....]
Unless someone is convicted of a crime, we have to refer to it as alleged, and can only allow comments saying it’s alleged, not convicting the person as such.
This is regardless of circumstance, even in the crime is caught on video and shown on TV [which has happened] we are legally required to refer to it as a charge, as an allegation etc – not a fact. Once, and if, the person is convicted in Court that changes.
@Bernews – I can kinda-sorta see your logic. My question is how can he be allowed to “deny” the charges laid against him when it is caught on camera. Is his defense was that he was just trying to go to the bathroom and the Security jumped him??? More wasted court time and more waste of my money bringing this clown back to court. Lawyers who defend this crap prove they are only in it for the MONEY and could care less about the average Joe Public. Find any flaw in this already jacked-up judicial system we have in place – and out he goes to wreak more havoc. To all lawyers who defend BLATANT criminal activity – remember – “The love of money is the root of all evil”.
And then – do you defend him again (should he re-offend) if you got him off on the first charge. Just proves my point in quotes above.
On another note – These gang-bangers that are already locked up…. why segregate them from each other. Put them all in the same room. They will have no choice but to get along and if that does not work and they all want to kill each other then so-be-it. 10 or 12 less jacka$$es that I have to pay for. There are no guns in Westgate (hopefully) so we know they can’t shoot each other. The majority of them need to be CLOCKED UPSIDE THE HEAD anyway, so…………..
I’m getting tired of punks thinking they can do what they want and the public allowing this type of behaviour to go unchecked. BERMUDA WAKE UP and start cutting some a$$es OLDE SKOOL!!!
Make them go and pick theire own Oleander stick and then cut his …… like granny used to do and it sure made me a better person and I might add not an abusive one either so don’t want to hear any of that nonsense.
On a matter somewhat related to this incident, Can someone say why on another daily news site this teenager, like others, alleged to have commited a crime or crimes is constantly refered to as a MAN, when the accepted and lawful definition of such is one who has reached 18 years or older?
How old are you ??? do you have any idea of what todays generation are exposed to and informed about !! This KID has no respect for the law, you, me or anyone.. 17 and trying to escape form a court of law !!! Are you serious !!! Lock his a$$ up and yours too !
I’m 41.
The point I’m making is that this KID is just that a KID!
In no way shape or form was I defending his alleged actions.
In 99% of the cases when someone has his or her a$$ locked up, he or she will eventually released.
Seriously Bernews, there are too many posters attacking other posters on your site. Please police them better, because they are offending other courteous posters, thanks!
Please stop telling Bernews how to run their website. No one is forcing you to read it and if it constantly offends you the smart thing to do would be to stop reading it! Thanks!
Rob-get a life. Nowhere did the poster say s/he agreed with this BOY’S actions so why are you getting all bent out of shape? S/he brought up a perfectly reasonable point and one that I’ve thought about myself. Despite his *alleged* actions-and *if guilty* he should be punished for them-he isn’t legally an adult. A 17 yr. old is a BOY and not a man. Mentioning that doesn’t mean you are defending the person or his actions.
In the U.S. they’d say he was a juvenile being charged as an adult and wouldn’t call him a man because he isn’t. Take a Xanax and calm down or you’ll give yourself a stroke getting so easily riled up like that.
Im just more interested in the situation then getting distracted by semantics::)
Lawful definition where? Cos here in Bermuda one becomes an adult criminally at 16, save for a very few circumstances.
Unfortunately you are incorrect, the age of consent is different from the Age of Majority, the age specified by law, called the legal age of majority, indicates that a person acquires full legal capacity to be bound by various documents, such as contracts and deeds, that he or she makes with others and to commit other legal acts such as voting in elections.
Taken from bermudalaws.bm;
AGE OF MAJORITY ACT 2001
Age of Majority
Every person attains the age of majority and ceases to be a minor on attaining the age of eighteen years.
Really?? My son was in court recently – he was hit over the head – and because he was 17, he was considered a man…. Maybe each case has its own set of rules?!?!?
Each case should NOT have it’s own set of rules, there should be the same rules for everyone.
Remember, and I’m just drawing a comparison here, after the hurricane hit New Orleans some folk were called “looters” while some folk were called “survivors” and there was only one discernable difference?
…the discernible difference was that the looters were stealing TV’s, liquor and other non-essential items. Survivors stole food…. Unless you were in NOLA for Katrina you have no business trying to make comparisons or assumptions…your just spewing negative rhetoric.
Um yeah,actually, I was there!
Who is spewing negative rhetoric now?
There are numerous DOCUMENTED cases of some media outlets calling some folk looters and some folk survivors based only upon race.
http://politicalhumor.about.com/library/images/blkatrinalooting.htm
Dueling Photo Captions:
“A young [black] man walks through chest deep floodwater after looting a grocery store in New Orleans…”
“Two [white] residents wade through chest-deep water after finding bread and soda from a local grocery store after Hurricane Katrina came through the area in New Orleans…”
Age of majority has no bearing on the age of criminal responsibility (which is 8 by the way per Criminal Code) or when the law decides that aomeone is an ‘adult’ under certain Acts. The majority of those state 16 unless under court ordered supervision and a few other exceptions. Fact.
It seems that he is a juvenile but being charged as an adult although that terminology isn’t being officially used here. It seems that juveniles can be charged in regular court after age 16 and also named after age 16 but that doesn’t change the fact that he’s a child, because he is. One isn’t an adult until the age of 18, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be charged as an adult-it happens in the U.S. every day.
I think thats what I’m trying to get at, OFFICIALLY in Bermuda a juvenile is a juvenile and an adult is an adult, there is no other choice.
In some states in the US minors can be tried as adults but not OFFICALLY here in Bermuda.
Yup-that’s what I’m trying to tell Rob as well. I got your point…I can’t see how he can be called a man, either. A 17 yr. old is still legally a child.
Some of these kids have no respect!! I want my 17 yo to try something like that….I would give the police permission to cut his a$$….after I’m done with him!! Seriously though, I believe we as parents need to be in their lives more….show love! My boys are 17 & 19…they are by no means angels, but they are respectable….Please note I am not judging this kid’s parents….
Something is seriously gone wrong with this generation…was the Baby formula tainted in the 90′s? seriously.
BPA in the plastic bottles maybe? Lots of baby formula is terrible quality as it is processed at super high temperatures and has added toxic additives. Now days you can find much better quality but not very affordable for many.
It’s in the tainted wheat, and that tainted wheat/wheat gluten (or some form of it) is in most of the things that the generation in question grew up on! Hence the high rise of ADHD and Autism, and these other behavioral disorders! Seriously though, read a book entitled “Wheat Belly”…
but it is…something is seriously wrong with the parents (or lack thereof) of this generation. This is what you get when you allow them to raise themselves – no clue or understanding of anything other than SELF.
Need to bring back CUT AZZES. F/*k wat Shee-LA Cooper says!
Nah don’t blame the 90′s or tainted baby formula! Blame the good for nothing parents and your generation for raising, or not raising these punks properly.
this is the sentence that really caught my eye –
“Philpott pleaded not guilty to all four charges. He was represented by lawyer Simon Payne and Mr Payne asked that the matter be dealt with expeditiously as Philpott was scheduled to re-appear in Court 4 on another matter.”
what a charmer this kid must be……
These guys are a product of their environment. Sad to say it, but its yours and our fault for the way these children are behaving. We let them watch TV, BET, MTV and listen to the radio. These sources of outputs pump all kinds of ideas into their heads. Just take a listen to what these kids are listening to and you would be appalled. We are responsible for this mess!
Those who criticize our generation forget who raised it!
‘Alleged’? He either did it or he didn’t. I gather lots of witnesses were around. Pleads ‘not guilty’? How is this possible? And all this on legal aid. The suffering taxpayer. No. Enough is enough. He pays.
One word- DumbA$$
Throw the book at him.
He is alleged to have committed these acts in the court room in front of the eyes of the law.
Why was “Not Guilty” allowed to be put forth? New trial? Right there then should have been sentenced.
Waste of the court time and tax payers money.
smh one dumb a**.. i hope he didnt think he was getting away.. these children watch to much tv.. lock his a** up. if he thinks his a man send him west gate.. dumb child!!
Guilty until proven innocent. That is the attitude of people in Bermuda.
I’ve been accused of something that I didn’t do. People looked at me differently even after the guilty party was convincted and my name was cleared.
Maybe he is innocent.
@ Bernews, I can’t beleive you didn’t publish my comment regarding the armed police and how they should be allowed to shoot at these hoodlums.
I have no problems with armed police, because unfortuantely, that’s how dangerous Bermuda has become.
What truly amazing is that are cctv cameras all throughout the new court building. So why are we wasting court time and tax payer dollars.
Review the cctv ans *if guilty* send him up the river
Case Closed