Rastaman who lost temper, finds $300 to avoid jail term

A 54-year-old male Rastafarian from Glenn was fined last week for losing his temper and damaging the fan in a Justice of the Peace’s (JP) office at the Kingstown Town Board (KTB).

Donston Nichols was met with chastisement from Magistrate Bertie Pompey last Tuesday when he entered the court still having not taken off the cover for his dreadlocks.

Pompey charged Nichols with, on May 10, in Kingstown, without lawful excuse, damaging one white and blue electrical fan, worth $120, the property of the Kingstown Town Board.

The fan was present in the courtroom, leaning pitifully to one side as its base was damaged.

The court heard that on the day in question, the employee of the Town Board and registered Justice of the Peace (JP) was at her office at around noon.

Nichols came to her and asked her to certify certain forms related to a passport application, which she refused to do since she does not know him.

The JP left and returned to find her office ransacked, and the electric fan damaged.

Nichols told Pompey that this was the second time that he had visited the JP, and that she had been complaining about people troubling her every time she comes out at lunch time.

He said after this he “got a little annoyed” and he took a stool and swung it, damaging the fan.

The magistrate reminded him that the JP was doing voluntary service, and that one has to be careful with the requirements of the law.

He fined Nichols $300, to be paid within two weeks, or he will spend three months in prison. Compensation in the sum of $120 was further ordered, to be paid forthwith, or Nichols would have suffered two months imprisonment.
Nichols paid this money and left.