Defendant baffles judge, begs to be sent to prison

Instead of pleading not to be sent to prison, Mark Gumbs did the complete opposite.{{more}}

On bended knees with streaming tears, Gumbs, a labourer of Kingstown wailed on the floor of the Serious Offences Court on Wednesday and begged Chief Magistrate Sonya Young to send him to jail because he was not feeling well and that he was thirsty.

“All yo come carry me round ah jail, oh gard ah war go round now, ah can’t tek it oh gard,” Gumbs cried. The man who wore dirty clothes said that he wanted to clean himself up.

Gumbs was hauled before the court, charged on two counts of criminal trespassing and assault. He pleaded not guilty to both charges and was released on $600 bail. He, however, got his wish granted since no one was present to sign his bail bond.

Young, seemingly baffled by Gumbs’ actions, said it was the first time she had witnessed someone begging to go to prison.