‘Badmind’ man slashes cousin’s tyres

A senior parish judge struggled yesterday to impose the most appropriate sentence for a senior citizen, whom she accused of being 'badmind' and 'covetous'.

"How do you cure badmind judicially? The most I can do is give you a two night [in custody] you know, and then me and you talk," Senior Parish Judge Lori-Anne Cole-Montaque argued.

Her comments were addressed to defendant Steve McGregor, 57, who appeared before the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court for malicious destruction of property. Prosecutors said McGregor slashed four tyres belonging to the complainant, who is his cousin. The defendant explained that his cousin has been treating him badly and had stopped sending him money when he migrated to the US.

"Your Honour, him give him auntie and uncle money and don't give me nothing. And then him come back a year later, and wah stay at my house. Don't come to me, go stay with them. Him keep birthday party and Christmas party and don't give me nothing," McGregor said.

"Sir, you a 57 years old and a behave so? Sir, you're being covetous now because you are looking at what other people have. You stabbed four tyres for the complainant and the only thing you can tell me is that the man come from foreign and treat you bad. What is the bad treatment? The man don't carry nothing give you. Sir, there is only one way of saying it and I am a Jamaican judge, and I will say it in a way that you understand, that is covetousness and badmind," the judge said.

McGregor was taken into custody for about two hours as the judge sought to determine a satisfactory sentence for his guilty plea.

"Based on what I've observed, I don't think community service would do you at all because they can't control you and it's free work and you already have the mentality say people must give you things. Me nuh know how inna your 57 years on God's green earth you managed to stay true with that thinking so embedded in you for so long. It's a form of entitlement," the senior jurist expressed.

McGregor indicated that he will be willing to make compensation of $40,000 for the tyres.

"You're going to spend a night in custody, because what you did was very bad. Nobody never provoke you, it was just covetousness and badmind. You are at this stage of your life and you have this dirty thinking, and you see because you have this dirty thinking, you are going to pay for it," the judge added.

McGregor is to return to court today.