Montrose man ordered to keep out of trouble, or serve sentence

A 29-year-old who beat up another man, causing him lasting difficulty in moving his limbs, has been sentenced to an 18-month prison term suspended for 12 months.

Ulrick ‘Convict’ Bailey of Old Montrose was kept on remand at Her Majesty’s Prison for approximately two weeks, as the court awaited an updated medical record on the victim in this case, 56-year-old Norman Gumbs of Kingstown.

This was because, even though the incident in question happened on August 14, 2020, Gumbs was still said to be hospitalized. Further, it was noted that he couldn’t move two of his limbs.

In light of this, consideration was being given to whether Bailey should be facing a more serious charge.

However, a recent medical report provided to Senior Magistrate Rickie Burnett at the Kingstown Magistrate’s Court (KMC), has indicated that Gumbs had been discharged from the hospital eight days after the said incident. The doctor who wrote this report informs that “the complainant is staying at the hospital as safe keeping as he is homeless.”

Nevertheless, Gumbs, who contended with a speech disability before this incident, continues, at present, to have difficulty moving one of his arms and one of his legs.

The 56-year-old man was injured in an incident that occurred at Yankee’s Bar in Higginson Street. At 12:45 am on August 14, 2020, Gumbs was in the area of this Bar when the defendant approached him. Both were not on friendly terms with one another at the time.

At the Bar the two of them got into a disagreement, and this escalated into a physical altercation, during which Gumbs received multiple injuries about his body.

The police were called to the scene, and an investigation was launched, which was greatly assisted by CCTV footage recovered from a building in the area.

Bailey was determined not to have significant capacity to pay a fine or compensation. He said he goes fishing from time to time, and he does some work as a labourer, “small thing”.

He has no money saved in a bank or other institution.

The defendant had only one previous conviction, and this was a decade ago.

The magistrate decided on a suspended prison sentence for the defendant. He had to explain to the defendant what this meant.

The Old Montrose resident said he wouldn’t do it again, and that he “don’t really mek trouble often.”

The judicial officer said yes, but he (Bailey) had damaged Gumbs.

“I understand,” Bailey replied.

In handing down his sentence, Burnett noted “It means that for the next 12 months, you better keep yourself from trouble.

If not you may have to do this 18 months.”