Pinelands Man Sentenced to 16 Months in Prison for Assault and Lewd Behavior

A Pinelands man with no means to compensate a woman whom he attacked with “a barrage of blows” will spend six months in prison.

Justin Harvey Travis Felicien, of Princess Royal Avenue, The Pine, St Michael was also sentenced to an additional month in prison for lewdly exposing his privates along Brittons Cross Road.

He was given an additional three months and six months respectively on charges of assault and wounding which he previously pleaded guilty to but never returned to the court for sentencing.

In total Felicien will spend 16 months behind bars for his crimes as the sentences will run consecutively. He was also ordered to attend the prison’s mental health clinic.

Sergeant Verdon Forde told Magistrate Alison Burke that the complainant Shakera Springer was walking along Pine Plantation Road on June 18. As the two approached each other, Springer shifted to the other side of the road but her umbrella, according to the prosecutor, brushed Felicien.

As she turned to apologise, she was met with “a barrage of blows with a stick” and a passer-by had to come to her rescue.

According to the medical report, the woman sustained several injuries including a fractured hand with the physician noting that the attack on her was delivered with moderate to severe force.

“The lady walked straight into me,” Felicien stated when asked if he had anything to say to the court. “She was on the other side of the road, cross the road and walk straight into me. I get angry and hit her with the stick.”

Questioned further on his actions Felicien added: “She told me to stop after the second blow but I still give her one more and stop after that.”

But the level of injuries suggested that the complainant was hit more than what he stated, the magistrate said. “She got quite a beating,” she pointed out.

The convict also admitted that he had a psychiatric history but was not taking his medication.

The court also heard that the day before—June 17—Felicien did willfully, openly, lewdly and obscenely expose himself along Brittons Cross Road.

Sergeant Forde disclosed that the complainant is a teacher who was taking her young students to school nearby. On her way, she observed Felicien with his pants around his ankles palming his erect penis. He began to masturbate on being seen. The teacher hustled her charges away and tried to shield them from the culprit. The incident was then reported.

On the final two charges, the convicted man was expected to appear before the District ‘A’ Magistrates’ Court since September 2022 to be sentenced but had been a no-show.

Before he appeared in court on Monday, Felicien was taken to the Psychiatric Hospital for assessment. A report was sent to the court stating his fitness to plead and other recommendations if sentenced or granted bail.