Father of newborn discharged after being charged with using indecent language

A father of a newborn baby was discharged at the Kingstown Magistrate’s Court yesterday after explaining why he used indecent language on a police officer.{{more}}

Clare Valley resident, Andrew Harry was charged on August 31 for using indecent language to a police officer on duty at the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital (MCMH) at around 9:40 a.m.

When he appeared before magistrate Rechanne Browne-Matthias yesterday, Harry pleaded guilty “with a cause”.

According to the details read in court, Harry was walking in a restricted area of the hospital without permission and was later approached by a police officer, who told him that he was not allowed to be in the area.

It was then stated that the Clare Valley resident used indecent language on the officer and said “man, you can’t lock me to f—- up today.”

In his explanation, Harry told Browne-Matthias that he was only in the restricted area because he had brought his girlfriend, who was in labour, to the hospital.

“It was an emergency,” he said, while explaining that he had seen other people walking in that area.

Furthermore, he stated that when he tried explaining to the police officer, the officer used indecent language first, stating that “he ain’t f—— concern about me girl and she baby.”

Harry admitted that he did use indecent language at this point, but only because he was “devastated and offended” by the officer’s assertion.

Browne-Matthias subsequently reprimanded and discharged Harry, stressing that what he did was not an action to be tolerated and that she was considering the mother and the newborn baby.

“Go and make sure mommy and baby are okay,” she told Harry.(BK)