Lucky seventeen year old allowed bail on fourth offence

A 17-year-old from Union Island may have been the luckiest teenager in the country yesterday, as he was allowed bail on his fourth offence.

At the Serious Offences Court yesterday, Xavier Decoteau was charged with, in Ashton, Union island, entering one Rasida Baptiste’s house as a trespasser, and stealing her gold Samsung Galaxy S6 cellphone, valued at $800.

The defendant, whose youth was given away by his slight stature, responded that he was not guilty of the crime.

At first Corporal 664 Wright, in the capacity of the prosecution, indicated that they would be objecting to bail for the 17-year-old, who was on bail for three “like offences.” Based on this track record, the Corporal indicated that the police were fearful that if the defendant were released then he would continue “committing himself.”

However, Senior Prosecutor Adolphus Delplesche, who was listening motioned to engage the arresting officer, PC Gould. Delplesche submitted to Chief Magistrate Rechanne Browne-Matthias that instead of bail being denied to the defendant, a curfew be imposed on the youngster. He also asked that the teen be released into the custody of a parent. The prosecutor also said that social services would have to be contacted.

Decoteau said he has no father, and when asked if his father was dead, he answered, “from since I born, I never see him.” His mother did not accompany him to the mainland, but his “step godbrother,” represented in her absence.

The defendant told the Chief Magistrate that he had dropped out of the Union Island Secondary School in form four, because he got “caught up in wrong ting.”

Browne-Matthias granted Decoteau bail in the sum of $1,500 with one surety, and placed him on a curfew between 7 pm and 6 am. She told him that he must be in his house during these hours, and that “I don’t want to hear no excuse,” like “I went to buy some bread.” He is to report to the police station on Union Island three times a week.
Decoteau will next appear at the Union Island Magistrate’s Court on January 23.