‘Don’t approach me’ warns senior magistrate Burnett

People sometimes hunt down magistrates outside of court and try to speak to them about their cases, but the public is advised not to try this with the Senior Magistrate.

At a sitting of the Kingstown Magistrate’s Court last Friday, Senior Magistrate Rickie Burnett spoke about a perturbing incident that had occurred the day before.

He informed that on Thursday afternoon, a female learned the area of the country where he and his family live and went to his home, where she spoke to his wife.

“I judge matters only in this courtroom,” Burnett insisted, and asked that persons do not approach him to speak about cases.

“Please, for God’s sake, I’ve spoken about this matter over and over,” the frustrated magistrate stated.

“Don’t approach me on the road. Don’t phone me,” he continued.

He stressed that he does not even like persons to speak to him about cases that he has already decided, saying, “I do my job in this courtroom and that’s it.”

Burnett warned, “Pick your magistrate carefully if you want to do that.”

He asked of the woman who came looking for him, “Please don’t do it again,” and he asked all other persons to resist the temptation as well.