Van driver remanded for two weeks

A 27-YEAR-OLD who, in a rage at his 14-year-old brother, burnt clothes and medals belonging to the teen, has been remanded in prison for two weeks.

“I’m minded to remand you for two weeks and let you reflect on your actions and when you come back out I’ll decide what is going to be your sentence,” Senior Magistrate Rickie Burnett told Kentish Jack at the Kingstown Magistrate’s Court.

The minibus driver had pleaded guilty on Monday to damaging by fire, a quantity of clothing, a trophy and three medals belonging to his brother.

The following day, when the 14-year-old appeared in court, accompanied by another older brother, Prosecutor Corlene Samuel read his version of events.

The teen lives in the same house with his brother, in Redemption Sharpes. Their mother, who resides in Canada bought a television for them, and Kentish took it to his bedroom. On the evening of February 29, when Kentish got home at about 11:55 pm, he met his younger brother in his room, asleep on his bed. The teenager had apparently gone there to look at tv.

The 14-year-old said his brother began arguing with him aggressively for going on his bed, so he decided to leave the house and go on the public road. He said Kentish went after him, pulled him back, and slapped him. The younger brother picked up a stone and struck Kentish.

This caused Kentish to take the teen’s clothes, including his school clothes, trophies, and medals for athletics, and “everything that he could find belonging to the 14 year old”, and burn them outside the house. He also told his younger brother not to come back inside the house.

Another brother made a report to the police on behalf of the minor.

The minibus driver told the senior magistrate that he was the oldest in the house as their father is only there sometimes. He said he sometimes performs the role of the father but feels he cannot do it anymore as he cannot handle his younger brother.

Burnett told the defendant that his brother is a young boy and he, being older was more experienced.

The 27-year-old told the senior magistrate that he had moved the television to his room because the teen kept leaving it on. He said on the night in question, he asked his brother if he had been in his room, and the boy denied, but he found some food there.

He admitted hitting is brother and burning his clothes.

The senior magistrate asked him if he thought this was the best thing to do, but Kentish commented that it was the kind of rage he was in.

Burnett informed him that he was minded to send him to jail for a while because even if his younger brother was rude or disrespectful to him, how could he reach a point to burn up his things?

The magistrate admitted that he didn’t know much about the teen, but he had some idea of the mindset of a 14- year-old in 2020.

“Well I’m not saying that what he did was right but he would not have been the first younger brother to hit back an older brother…I sure you know that,” Burnett told him.

The prosecutor also agreed that it was extreme.

The senior magistrate also commented that the defendant didn’t seem remorseful for his actions.

“No I know I’m wrong,” the defendant stated.

This was not enough to convince the adjudicator, who decided to send the minibus driver to prison until March 17, at which time he will then be sentenced.

After the oldest brother returned to the seat he was chastised by someone in the court who told him that he was “too big fuh can’t explain yourself,” to the magistrate.