Chief Magistrate Calls for Heavier Fines for Withdrawing Charges, Highlights Strain on Police Resources

Chief Magistrate Ian Weekes believes that complainants should be fined heavily for withdrawing charges against accused persons.

A visibly frustrated Weekes said on Wednesday that it was unacceptable that police took time to respond to and investigate criminal matters only for a complainant to appear in court and say they no longer wanted to pursue the case.

“When you all go and make these reports to the police and take up police time and money, and then the Prime Minister gets up in a budget speech and charges more taxes, we [are not] happy, right?

“When you use police time and resources and this time is wasted, and wunna come in the court and say wunna done with that, do you know the thousands of dollars that are wasted as a result of that? Do you think that when people walk into the police station, the police do not have to investigate, the police don’t have to charge, the police do not have to use paper, the police don’t have to drive up and down and use gas or diesel? I keep saying that we need to change things to make a difference in this,” he said.

Stating that a significant amount of the Barbados Police Service’s limited staffing resources was spent on handling domestic matters, as they were often called to the same household several times, the magistrate later added, “I want for things to be in such a way that I can charge wunna $10 000 in costs, and a lot of you will wake up and realise the foolishness wunna doing.”

Weekes also insisted it was time that parents learned how to deal with their children better to reduce the burden on the police force.

“If some of our children need to be put out of our houses, are we not going to do that? Why are we getting the Barbados Police Service to do parenting duties?” the chief magistrate questioned.

“The police have to work too hard to be dealing with y’all personal issues, and then you say you want the children warned, and then when the issue arises next week, wunna want to call back the same police. I want in 2024 going forward, y’all decide on parenting. If your children have no respect or regard for your hard work, do something about it!” he insisted.

Weekes made the comments in the District ‘A’ Magistrates’ Court as a mother appeared in the court to withdraw an assault charge.

Ronico Lionel Maynard, 23, of Block 3B Pleasant Hall, St Matthias, Christ Church was charged with assaulting his mother Michelle Maynard, and his sisters Ronasha and Roniya Maynard on December 22.

His mother informed the chief magistrate that she no longer wanted to pursue her matter, and that case was dismissed.