Mistaken identity stalls court case

A discrepancy with names has resulted in a Corporate Area man remaining in custody for almost a month before appearing in court.

The shocking revelation was made on Thursday in the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court as prosecutors, custody officers and the police liaison officer at St Andrew South lock-up spent the better of two weeks searching for a detainee they have on record as Junior Gayle. He should have been before the courts on June 30 to answer to a charge of unlawful wounding, however, he could not be located at either the Duhaney Park or Hunts Bay police stations.

The utterances raised the eyebrow of Parish Judge Leighton Morris on Thursday, when Gayle was expected to appear in court as his matter was set for mention.

"It is the State's responsibility to ensure him being here. We cannot allow him to be lost in the system," Morris noted.

The man's son, who coincidentally was in the precincts of the court, was invited in the courtroom to assist in locating the accused. It was then revealed that the son, Keith Gayle, was the one to face the court.

"Dem call me 'Junior' because my father have the same name, so him would a be the senior and me a the junior. You understand?" Gayle explained to the court, bringing clarity to his absence from court.

With that information provided, Judge Morris was able to proceed with the matter that landed Gayle before the court. Gayle is charged with punching his neighbour in his face, which caused bruising and swelling following an altercation between them.

They agreed to partake in mediation, however, Gayle, who is still remanded in custody, should be brought to court on July 18 to facilitate a bail application.

- T.T.