Brother of murder accused cop to return to court next week

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Accused abusive stepfather Karim Christian was denied bail due to the seriousness of the allegation and injuries sustained by his 16-year-old stepson whom he is alleged to have beaten severely with a piece of wood.
The same magistrate, Ngaio Emanuel Edwards, dealt with the case in the All Saints Magistrate’s Court yesterday morning.
Christian was escorted into the court by police and – like his brother, murder accused Kasroy Simon – was handcuffed on arrival and again when they were being taken away to Her Majesty’s Prison.
With no legal representative present on his behalf, the man asked the court to grant him bail on compassionate grounds.
He said his wife is currently ill, on medication and had collapsed outside the police station when he was first arrested last month following the circulation of a video of him beating the teenager with a long piece of wood and ordering him to keep his hands around a tree.
The man said that due to his wife’s illness, he is the only person left to take care of their seven-year-old child.
But the magistrate agreed with the prosecution and denied him bail out of concern that he would be returning to the Freeman’s Village home where the 16-year-old victim also lives, and she noted that the teen needs to be protected.
A medical report submitted by the prosecution outlined the extent of the violence meted out to the child on February 11 by the stepfather who was reportedly asked by his wife to discipline the boy.
The magistrate ordered that Christian be held and return to the court with his lawyer on March 6th so she could hear from the probation/social services division and to also issue a date for trial.
In the meantime, the accused can seek bail from the High Court.
This case of alleged abuse sparked public outrage in recent weeks after the video. The Family and Social Services Division has begun offering counselling and other services to the family, and relatives told OBSERVER media that the 16-year-old has since moved to live with his father.

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