Teen begs for another chance

Senior Parish Judge Lori-Anne Cole-Montaque said that she continues to experience 'judicial heartbreak', as she keeps giving offenders second chances.

Her comments came after 19-year-old Jaheim Pratt found himself before the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court, charged with another offence while on bail for another.

"I am the one who gave you a chance and it's like, every time I give you guys a chance, you find yourself back before me. These things cause heartbreak, you know. These things break my judicial heart," the senior jurist said.

Pratt, who hung his head while in the prisoner's dock, pleaded with the judge to give him another chance and restore his bail, adding that it was a "moment of ignorance" that led him to commit another offence.

"I have been behaving good since you put me on bail. My father has stage four cancer and I have been the one running up and down. I have been good, Your Honour," Pratt begged.

It was shared in the court that, on January 23, there was an altercation between Pratt, his uncle and another man. A police officer allegedly intervened. Pratt reportedly threatened the cop, saying "Me will full yuh up with rifle shot."

Pratt pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct but denied threatening the police officer.

"Your Honour, he did not identify himself to be a police officer. To be honest, I did not threaten him and I have witnesses to say that I did not say anything to him," the teen said. "Your Honour, please, I have been good whilst on bail."

Pratt is before the courts for receiving stolen property, a motorbike. He was offered bail by Judge Cole-Montaque with conditions attached that he reports to the police station once weekly and abides by a daily curfew.

"I don't know what to do with you, Jaheim. I am giving you a night in custody, we will talk about it tomorrow [Friday]," the judge said, as Pratt was placed in handcuffs and taken from the court.