Father unmoved by son’s tearful plea
WESTERN BUREAU — With blood seeping from a few wounds on his hands, St James resident, Frank Fletcher, yesterday tearfully begged his father not to allow him to be remanded in police custody.
He had earlier attracted the attention of Resident Magistrate Paulette Williams when, either because of exhaustion or clumsiness, he fell from a bench in the courtroom.
The RM subsequently ordered that he be brought forward, into the prisoner’s dock.
Fletcher, a decrepit-looking 30-year-old labourer of Pitfour in the parish, was appearing before the Montego Bay RM Court on charges of burglary and larceny. His father, who had apparently had his fill of dealing with his son’s problems, had obviously decided it was time for tough love and refused to help him get bail.
“Mi and yuh a blood, do dad,” Fletcher begged his father who had earlier indicated to the court that he was no longer interested in serving as his son’s bail surety.
The young man’s plea not to have his bail rescinded fell on deaf ears as his father walked from the courtroom.
“Daddy, you go put mi in a jail, dad?” continued a tearful Fletcher while trailing after his father.
His appeal was futile.
“I can’t control him and they going to kill him,” his father had told the court earlier.
According to his father, there were times when he simply had no idea of his son’s whereabouts.
On February 28 the complainant, who resides at Ironshore in Montego Bay, reportedly heard noises coming from the vicinity of the television set in her house. She went to investigate and allegedly discovered Fletcher behind the appliance.
She raised an alarm and he fled the house via a window.
When the other occupants of the house arrived, a search was conducted of the premises and Fletcher and another man, Oral Williams, were found at the back of the house.
A number of missing household items including a microwave, a deep fryer and cosmetics were recovered from the two men.
In addition, Fletcher was found with five screwdrivers and a pair of pliers.
It was found that the men had gained entry to the house via a window that had been forced open and they were set upon and beaten.
Later, on arrival of the police the two were charged with burglary and larceny and Fletcher was slapped with the additional charge of possession of implements used to break into a house.
He is to return to court on April 2, but until then he will remain behind bars.