A beggar, who apologised in court for using threatening behaviour towards a hospital guard, was fined for the offence when he appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court yesterday.
Devon Lawrence, who the court heard is a homeless man, appeared before Principal Magistrate Faith McGusty and admitted to a charge that on October 7th at the Georgetown Public Hospital, he used threatening behaviour towards Andre Fraser.
Lawrence, in addressing the court, said that he was begging for food as he usually does at the hospital. He said that he was “real sorry” for what transpired and asked the magistrate to place him on community service.
The virtual complainant was also present and he told the court that he was called by another guard to assist in removing Lawrence from the compound. Fraser said that he told the man to leave but he refused to do so and he repeated the order while adding that if Lawrence did not leave, he would be forced to remove him. When Lawrence still would not go away, he attempted to grab his hand and that was when the homeless man attempted to “jook” him with a weapon he had in his hand, Fraser told the court.
As Fraser spoke, Lawrence continued to apologise. He asked the court to understand that he was hungry that day and the persons who usually give him food, refused to do so at the time causing his anger.
The magistrate then fined Lawrence $10,000 with an alternative of 21 days in prison. She said that if Lawrence knows that the people at the hospital give him food, he should not try to “jook” them.
