McKies Hill man to pay compensation for pelting mangoes at 69-year-old farmer

A 36-YEAR-OLD farmer who pelted mangoes at a 69-year-old man will have to compensate him for the assault.

Jeremy St Hilaire will have to find $500 by May 3 or spend three months in prison. He is also bonded for one year in the sum of $1500, and if he returns to court within this time and is convicted, he will have to pay $1500 forthwith or a four month incarceration term will activate.

St Hilaire knows the 69-year-old farmer, Noah Williams well as they both live in the same community, McKies Hill. On August 15, 2021, at about 12:00p.m they met while in the vicinity of the DeNobrigas Ltd building. Williams was on his way to his farm lands and when he saw the defendant he remembered he was missing some okras. He told the younger man: “If you want okra why you don’t go and plant”. St Hilaire demanded that Williams not call his name but the older man insisted that he was responsible. St Hilaire dropped the stick and bag he had in his hands, bent over and picked up two mangoes. He pelted the riper mango at Williams; it missed him, but the green mango hit the older man on the left shoulder.

The distance was approximately 16 ft away.

A relative went to assist Williams after hearing the commotion, telling him to stop interfering.

The matter was reported to the police.

At the Kingstown Magistrate s Court (KMC) yesterday, March 21 Senior Magistrate, Rickie Burnett asked St Hilaire, who changed his plea to guilty what were his reasons for doing the act and the defendant said he was upset.

The magistrate noted that the injury was relatively minor; he ordered compensation.