Man freed after breaking woman’s windows

A St James man who broke a woman's windows during an altercation with her nephew was lucky to avoid jail time on Wednesday, November 7, after the complainant asked for the case against him to be discontinued.

Roy McLean was charged with malicious destruction of property. It is alleged that on October 26 he used a stone to damage two sliding windows at the complainant's house.

When the case was mentioned before presiding judge Sandria Wong-Small, the complainant told the court that she wanted to put an end to the matter as McLean had already fixed her windows.

"Why did he break the windows?" Wong-Small asked clerk of the court Shantalle Bannerbie.

"It seemed to be a dispute with other persons, and he (McLean) threw the stone," Bannerbie replied after checking the case file.

"Who was he throwing the stone at?" Wong-Small asked the complainant.

"My nephew," the complainant admitted.

"It's one thing to say you don't want to continue the matter, but suppose something else happens and he decides to come and throw more rock stones on your house?" Wong-Small asked the complainant, who did not reply.

McLean was subsequently freed after a no-evidence motion was entered by the prosecution to dismiss the case against him.

"The matter is discontinued at the lady's request. You may go," Wong-Small told McLean before allowing him to leave the courtroom.