Senior Magistrate tells moms to deal with wayward youths

Senior Magistrate Donald Browne is of the view that Mothers are partly to blame for the unlawful path along which young males are heading today.{{more}}

“Sometimes is you mothers making this happen…don’t be afraid to hold them and thump them if they get out of line,” Browne implored.

The outspoken Magistrate made his feelings known at the Kingstown Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday after reprimanding and discharging a 17-year-old secondary school student for stabbing his classmate.

The boy pleaded guilty to the charge of wounding.

The Court heard that on Monday October 19, about 3:45pm, the virtual complainant was near the Murray’s Village public road when the 17-year-old and a group of other students approached him. The 17-year-old then slapped the virtual complainant in his face. The virtual complainant tried running, but his attacker plunged a pair of scissors into his back.

In his explanation to the court, the convicted youngster said: “He does roll with ah gang you know.” With a puzzled look on his face, Browne noted that he did not understand the meaning of the word “roll” in the manner in which it was used. Persons in the court later explained it to him. “Somebody has to get me a dictionary with all these slangs…its definitely the generation gap,” he chuckled.

The mother of the victim told the court that she did not want the matter to go any further and asked if it were possible for both boys and their groups to receive counseling.

Browne advised both mothers to speak to the principal about the boys and agreed that they get counseling as soon as possible. “I want them to go back to school and do their work, but they need the counseling to stop this gang warfare,” he added. (KW)