An 18-year-old is now on a bond to keep the peace after admitting that he assaulted his mother.
Ajani Levi Daniel Spooner of Ashdeane Village, Black Rock, St Michael appeared before Chief Magistrate Ian Weekes on Tuesday and pleaded guilty to assaulting Shontel Daniel on November 18.
The court heard that according to his mother, Spooner is disrespectful and refuses to adhere to the rules of the household. On the mentioned date, Daniel returned home and was approached by her son who demanded $5. Daniel ignored him as she believed he wanted the funds to purchase illegal drugs. The unemployed teen became aggressive, poking his mother in the face and pushing her in the chest while calling her derogatory names. He then snatched her cell phone from her hand and refused to return it despite her demands. As the aggressive behaviour escalated, Daniel fled the home and went to a neighbour and contacted the police.
Speaking from the dock of the No.1 District ‘A’ Magistrates’ Court, the teen mumbled an apology for “my wrongdoings to my mudda”.
“You are terrorising your mother in her own home,” the chief magistrate said. “You are using her electricity. You are eating up her food and you are not contributing to the household because you don’t work nowhere, but you are terrorising her and you want to give trouble.”
Spooner responded that he would move out of the home and live with his father.
When asked whether he would stop smoking marijuana, the teenager replied “De herb ain’t got nothing to do with it. I could stop smoking when I want.”
His parents told the court that he had been placed in drug counselling previously, but it had been some time since he attended any sessions. His mother also said she did not want him to be incarcerated but wanted the court to help get him to stop using marijuana and find employment.
“That is not for the court to do. The problem is that many of you parents are not parenting and then want the State to do what you should have been doing all along,” Chief Magistrate Weekes said, adding that there were several programmes that could have been considered to help Spooner break the drug habit.
He placed the teenager on a bond to keep the peace for six months. If it is breached, he will have to pay a fine of $1 500 immediately or he will be imprisoned for 120 days.
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