Malvin Taylor, who is accused of attempting to murder his wife and sister-in-law, was yesterday denied bail once more, after acting Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry found that he was a possible flight risk and may tamper with witnesses.
Present at yesterday’s hearing was Sharon Taylor, who had to be propped up by her sister, Michelle Richards, as they sat in the courtroom. Taylor’s legs were heavily bandaged and in a cast and she appeared to be in much pain. The Magistrate granted the injured woman leave from the courtroom, noting that she appeared to have been in “obvious discomfort.” Sharon, who cried out in pain, was moments later lifted out of the court by relatives.
Taylor, 34, of 51 ‘D’ Field, Sophia is alleged to have attempted to murder both women by discharging a loaded firearm at them on January 26 at Quamina Street, Georgetown. On the same day, he is also accused of discharging a loaded firearm at Aubrey Smith. He has not been required to plead to the indictable charges of attempted murder and discharging a loaded firearm.
Prosecutor Stephen Telford told the court yesterday that although Taylor’s wife had been discharged from the hospital, the prosecution stood by its previous objections to him being granted his pre-trial liberty. Telford maintained that there is a likelihood he may flee the jurisdiction and fail to return to stand trial, since he had gone into hiding after the incident. He argued too that there is a possibility that he may interfere with witnesses.
Attorney Nigel Hughes, who is representing the accused, said that the grounds for the objection as advanced by the prosecution were very general. He said it would be very difficult for Malvin, who has a broken leg, to flee the jurisdiction. Further, he noted that there has been no report or allegation of tampering with witnesses. The attorney added that if his client wanted to escape, he could have done so while he was in hiding. Hughes begged the court and the prosecution to remember also that it was the defendant who had turned himself in to the police.
After the matter was put aside for an hour, Telford, in a response to Hughes’ submissions, presented the court with records of complaints against Malvin Taylor lodged with police by his wife. He said he wanted the court to be aware of the incidents before making a decision on bail.
According to Telford, on January 10, Sharon Taylor made a report to the Alberttown Police Station about a wounding and assault at the hands of the accused, in which she sustained a broken leg. Telford said too that the woman reported that on January 17, Malvin threatened to kill her. He was subsequently charged with threatening language and was placed on $30,000 bail after appearing at the Vreed-en-Hoop Magistrates’ Court. The prosecutor said that Sharon later indicated that she no longer wanted to proceed with the matter. However, the matter is still pending before the court.
Telford said that the issues point to a clear indication that the defendant wanted to end his wife’s life. He added that the police are still making efforts to recover the gun used in the shooting.
The Magistrate subsequently told the court that the prosecution had provided sufficient reasons demonstrating that the accused is a flight risk and may possibly tamper with the witnesses. She said too that from the records presented, the matters against the accused gravitated from threatening language to attempted murder. “The prosecution has presented substantial grounds for its objection,” the Magistrate stressed.
Taylor was remanded to prison until March 2 for the commencement of the PI.
