Magistrate Douglas Frederick today remanded a 31-year-old carpenter who has exhausted his bail conditions.
“There isn’t anything more I can do with you but put you in prison,” the magistrate told Pedro Alfonzo Burgess, of Baycroft Road, Bridge Road, St Michael, who appeared in court this afternoon charged with entering the home of a woman as a trespasser between August 25 and 26 with intent to indecently assault another female.
Burgess was not required to plead to the indictable charge when he appeared in court with his attorney-at-law Sian Lange.
The accused however denied loitering on Roger’s Road, Government Hill, on August 26 and was unable to give a satisfactory account of himself.
But when it came time for bail Sergeant Rudy Pilgrim raised strong objections to his release, pointing out that Burgess had a number of matters pending, including allegations of indecent assault and loitering for which he was also on bail.
“He also has a number of antecedents which speak to indecent assaults . . . . The aspect of reoffending is ripe,’ Pilgrim said.
However, Burgess’ attorney argued that while her client had matters pending, the charges were mere allegations at this time. She revealed that her client had a part time job and was currently attending skills training.
“No identification parade was conducted which speaks to the strength of the evidence. Our position is that the evidence is patently weak and circumstantial. He has pleaded not guilty and awaits his day in court,” Lange said.
She further submitted that stringent conditions could be imposed in granting bail to her client to ensure that no other allegations were made against him.
However, Frederick made it clear that several magistrates had tried “all conditions, but your name keeps coming up all the time”.
He pointed out that Burgess was on daily curfews with “all sorts of hours”, reporting to a police station daily and warnings not to interfere with the complainants or go their houses.
“I don’t know what else to do with you. There ain’t nothing more I can do with you but put you in prison,” the magistrate told the accused who responded: “I didn’t do these crimes. They [the police] target me all the time.”
Frederick then gave Burgess a September 25 date to return to court on the premise that “when you are in prison your name can’t get called”.
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