(TRINIDAD EXPRESS) YEARS of broken promises by Member of Parliament (MP) for Laventille West Fitzgerald Hinds to the people of the Beetham Gardens was what led to one man splashing muddy water at him during a tour of the area last month.
So claimed his attorneys when 31-year-old Richard “Snake” Marcell appeared before a Port of Spain Magistrate on Tuesday afternoon charged with using obscene language and assaulting Hinds by beating him.
“Mr Hinds made so many promises and none were kept. Then he shows up at Beetham Gardens with the media and all of it was all for show. All of these years you are in office and you have done nothing for the people,” said attorney Richard Clarke-Wills, as he explained to the magistrate why his client committed the acts.
Marcell was brought to the courthouse along St Vincent Street on Tuesday morning and placed in the holding cells. However, not long after he was taken back to the police station due to certain issues with the paperwork. He was not brought back until around 3 p.m.
As each charge was read, Marcell told the magistrate he was guilty.
Then it came to the reading of the facts by the prosecution.
The court’s police prosecutor said on August 14, Hinds was touring flood-affected areas in Beetham Gardens when Marcell began cursing and kicking water at the Parliamentarian.
“Allyuh not doing nothing for (expletive) we. Is only talk from allyuh and the people of the area not getting (expletive) anything,” Marcell was quoted as saying.
Asked by the magistrate if this was what had transpired, Marcell agreed.
Clarke-Wills, who appeared together with attorney Celeste St Louis, said his client did not have the intention of harming Hinds in anyway, but only acted out of frustration.
“He expressed his frustration and he was reckless. He kicked the water in Hinds’ direction but he did not intend to hit him. If he wanted to hurt Mr Hinds, there was nothing stopping him from doing so. He was arrested at around 4 a.m. on Friday and he is now appearing before you at 4 p.m. on Tuesday so he spent four days in police custody. Although his actions were disrespectful, he did not mean any disrespect,” explained the attorney.
He said his client was also not aware that kicking water in someone’s direction had legal ramifications.
“Well if he did not know that back then, I’m sure he knows so now,” said the magistrate.
In passing sentence, Magistrate Toon said she was taking into account the fact that Marcell pleaded guilty to the offences at the earliest possible occasion and therefore, did not waste the court’s time. In addition to that she said he was co-operative with police and did not resist them in anyway.
Hinds was not present in court for the hearing of the matter.
In the end, Marcell was fined a total of $400 by Magistrate Sanara Toon. On the charge of assault, he was fined $300 and given one week to pay or in default he will serve two weeks simple imprisonment. On the obscene language charge, he was ordered to pay $100 or face a term of imprisonment of one week.
He faced an additional charge of possession of five grammes of marijuana which was found in his home last Friday when he was arrested by officers of the Port of Spain Division.
