Man gets probation for destroying dad’s car

Duan Rose, the St James man who was arrested in August for damaging a car window and three security cameras at his father's house, was given a two-year probation order in the St James Parish Court last Wednesday.

Rose, 21, of a Farm Heights address, pleaded guilty on September 25 to malicious destruction of property. He was deemed fit to plea after undergoing a court-ordered psychiatric evaluation. The facts are that on August 5 at 9:30 p.m., the complainant heard a noise at his front gate, and, upon investigating, saw that Rose had stoned his motor car and damaged the vehicle's rear window. The complainant reported the matter to the police, and when he returned home, he discovered that three security cameras installed on his house were damaged.

When Rose's case was mentioned on Wednesday, his lawyer Kimika Peterkin told presiding Parish Judge Natiesha Fairclough-Hylton that the defendant had apologised to his father.

"This is his first offence, and I understand that he pleaded guilty at the earliest possible time. My client is very remorseful, and he has indicated that what transpired on that occasion was an accident, and he will take full responsibility for his actions," said Peterkin. "He has instructed me that he has apologised to his father and that he has all intentions of replacing the items that were destroyed as soon as he is in a position to do that."

In handing down the probation order, Fairclough-Hylton agreed that imprisonment would not be necessary for Rose at this time, given the circumstances.

"I know you indicated that he has apologised to his father, and that goes a far way in terms of showing his remorse," Fairclough-Hylton replied.

"For the next two years, Mr Rose, you are going to work with the probation officers to see how it is that they can guide you along so you do not have a repeat of this incident," the judge added, before allowing Rose to leave the courtroom.