Six men were sentenced in St John’s Magistrates Court yesterday – two of them to prison – after breaching strict curfew restrictions in effect to stem the coronavirus spread.
Over the weekend, police arrested and charged Josh Mathias of Johnson’s Village, Juan Looby of Cashew Hill, Addis Joseph of Villa, Kadeem Morrisey of Golden Grove, Blaibin Rodriques of Kentish Road, and Randy Davis of Five Islands, all for failing to comply with the lockdown rules.
They all appeared before court on Monday and pleaded guilty to the charges.
Joseph and Morrisey were sentenced to six months in prison. Mathias, Looby, Rodriques and Davis were fined $5,000 to be paid immediately or they will also face six months in prison.
Three others were charged for similar offences, reprimanded and discharged.
Since last Thursday’s 24-hour lockdown came into force, a total of 17 people have been arrested and charged for violations.
Meanwhile, Pastor Uriah Taylor and churchgoers Alton Stoner, Eric Rattary and Jennifer Kenton of the New Testament Church of God in Bolans are awaiting sentencing on May 5 by All Saints Magistrates Court.
Taylor had pleaded guilty to failure to comply with the public health regulation by allowing more than the then 25-person maximum into his church. Stoner admitted to battery of a police officer, obstruction and resisting arrest. Rattary and Kenton later admitted to obstructing a constable.
Their lawyer Sherfield Bowen is set to challenge the legality of their charges and the social distancing regulations under the Public Health Act on April 14. The prosecution will then have until April 24 to respond.
All four were granted bail last week.