Gregory Decaul granted bail of $8,000

One of the men named on St Vincent’s list of most wanted criminals was granted bail on Wednesday, June 17, at the High Court in Kingstown.{{more}}

Justice Frederick Bruce-Lyle granted Gregory “Gargamel” Decaul bail in the sum of $8,000 with one surety. Decaul was wanted in connection with a series of burglaries around the country.

Earlier this month, police nabbed DeCaul in the vicinity of the Phillips Bakery in Lower Middle Street.

Upon his arraignment on Wednesday, DeCaul told the court that he was never on the run from the police and that there was mix up in the dates given to him to appear for the hearing of his matter at the Criminal Assizes. DeCaul noted that he went to the police some time before and was informed that the assizes would start in June and his matter would be called up then. During that time, DeCaul said he traveled to Grenada and spent some time there before returning to St Vincent. The June assizes now commence in May.

DeCaul also refuted claims made in the media that he was captured. “I gave myself up to the police and that talk about me being armed and dangerous was not true,” DeCaul claimed.

Relating his version of what happened, DeCaul said he was standing in front of Phillips Bakery with a bag of bread in his hands when suddenly someone came from behind and held him by the neck. DeCaul said the man, who he later found out was a police officer in plain clothes, did not identify himself before accosting him. “I resisted the arrest because I did not know who it was,” he explained.

When he was taken into the police transport, DeCaul said that one of the officers tried to punch him, but he (DeCaul) placed his hand in the air to fend off the blow. As a result, DeCaul said the officer received a cut to the hand from the handcuffs that were placed on DeCaul when he was arrested.

Despite being granted bail, DeCaul was taken back to Her Majesty’s Prisons, since he has other matters pending before other law courts.(KW)