By Tahna Weston
A man with an apparent history of mental illness was ordered to be committed forthwith to the Clarevue Psychiatric Hospital.
Nixon Christmas appeared in St John’s Magistrates’ Court before acting Chief Magistrate Dexter Wason and pleaded not guilty to throwing missiles.
However, based on his behaviour and continued outbursts during the court proceedings, Magistrate Wason refused to grant bail and immediately proceeded to a trial.
Christmas was belligerent and at times incoherent, denying that he had done anything wrong and alleging that he was beaten by the police, pointing to what appeared to be an aged wound to his shoulder.
The arresting officer Corporal Kibwee Harris testified that on Saturday December 7 while on foot patrol with a senior officer around the market he received several reports about a young man known as “Yanky” throwing stones and bottles at vehicles and pedestrians.
The officers immediately went in search of the suspect when they received additional information that he had struck a child across the face.
Corporal Harris, who is stationed at St John’s Police Station and attached to the West Bus Station outpost, said the search was at that time intensified and Christmas was spotted on Valley Road in the vicinity of the Fisheries Complex with a piece of wood and a bottle in his hand.
As a vehicle was passing, he threw the bottle at it and the senior officer, a police sergeant, called out to him and he approached him.
The officer disarmed him of the stick and he was taken into custody at St John’s Police Station. Christmas was later informed that he was being arrested for throwing missiles.
Corporal Harris told the court that he made checks at the Clarevue Psychiatric Hospital and found out that the last time that Christmas had been admitted was in March 2023.
He said at that time officials at the psychiatric hospital refused to take him without a court order. While the officer was giving his evidence Christmas kept interrupting and had to be yelled at to be quiet several times.
When Christmas was asked if he had any questions for the officer, he asked why Harris was giving evidence and not the “superior officer”.
He also made mention that at that time he was pushed by a lady while at the market.
One of the court orderlies also told the magistrate that Christmas is a deportee from the United States, who abuses illegal substances and has thrown pebbles at him in the past down at the market.
Based on his behaviour Magistrate Wason ordered that he be taken to Clarevue forthwith for evaluation and treatment.
