Acting Chief Magistrate Deidre McKenna has urged the public not to interfere with police officers carrying out their duties, following the case of a woman accused of obstruction.
She admonished Chanice Destiny Bostic, 26, who admitted to obstructing a police officer in the execution of his duty on February 17.
Station Sergeant Vernon Waithe told the Oistins Magistrates’ Court that officers went to Goddards Road, Carrington Village, where a wanted accused person was seen. Police exited the vehicle to apprehend the individual, who ran into Bostic’s home.
Bostic stood in the doorway, preventing the police from entering to continue their pursuit, and refused to move when directed to do so, the prosecutor read.
Admitting that her “behaviour was not the best at the time”, Bostic, a first-time offender, however, insisted that the suspect had never run into her house.
She said: “I was sitting down outside with multiple people, and I was doing hair at the time. Police pulled up, and an officer got up and walked up to the property, and he was already in a hostile mood. I told him come to me respectfully, and I will do the same. I asked his name and what was the reason he came to the residence, and he refused to answer.”
“All he telling me was that ‘a man run through my house’. I told him ‘all of us sitting down by the door, and you mean all of we miss a whole individual run through the house?’ Nobody ran through my house.”
But Magistrate McKenna told Bostic: “That was not for you to determine. At the end of the day, they believe that someone ran through the house, so you let them check. They cannot just take your word for it. Let them check and do not obstruct, which is a serious offence. You are not a police officer and cannot tell them how to do their job.”
“I understand where you are coming from Ma’am,” Bostic said.
“It is not the worst crime in the world. However, persons must allow officers to do their jobs,” Magistrate McKenna said. “And I know some of them can be quite rude, but that doesn’t mean you are to obstruct them or do anything to stop them from doing their jobs. That’s my advice to you.”
Bostic was released on $1 000 bail, after the magistrate ordered a pre-sentence report and adjourned the case until May 22.
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