Magistrate orders flogging for boy

For his dishonesty to the court, A 13-year-old boy of Largo Heights was sentenced to receive six lashes with a cane.

When the boy appeared before Senior Magistrate Carl Joseph last Monday at the Magistrate’s Court in Kingstown, he pleaded guilty to having a knife in his possession.{{more}}

Reports reaching the court stated that on the May 27, 2006 at approximately 9:45 p.m. police officers were on duty in the vicinity of the Victoria Park when the saw the defendant making gestures. One of the officers went to where the boy was standing and told him of his observation. The boy then tried to hide the weapon from the officer by putting it into his pocket. The officer then requested a search during which the knife was found.

In his brief testimony to the court the slimly built boy said that he had found the knife next to a gutter outside the park. His mother, who was present at the court, said that the knife was hers and that she had taken it from home and carried it to the park.