Court frees cop's attacker

WESTERN BUREAU:A St James man, who had been in police custody since he allegedly wounded a police officer during an altercation two years ago, benefitted from a no-evidence motion in the Montego Bay Resident Magistrate's Court on Monday was set free.

Christopher Legister, who is of a Rose Heights address in St James, was admonished and discharged after pleading guilty to unlawful wounding stemming from an incident on February 1, 2011, in which he injured Constable Molcary Robinson.

The defendant, who also pleaded guilty to possession of ganja arising from the same incident, was previously deemed unfit to enter a plea, but he has since benefited from psychiatric treatment.

In court on Monday, presiding magistrate Sandria Wong-Small was informed that Legister had finally been declared fit to plea.

"How long has he been with us?" Wong-Small asked clerk of the court Natalie Malcolm after hearing Legister's plea.

"Since February 10, 2011," Malcolm replied.

"Based on the time he has been with us, any sentence that would be imposed, he would have served it over and over," remarked Wong-Small.

"Your honour, in the circumstances, I will offer no-evidence," said Malcolm.

Legister was subsequently told that the court would not continue the case against him, and he was free to go.

"Mr Legister, for unlawful wounding, you are admonished and discharged ... same for the possession of ganja charge," Wong-Small told Legister. "You are to make sure you keep yourself out of trouble. Have you ever been a patient at Cornwall Regional Hospital?"

"Yes, your honour," Legister admitted.

"You are to ensure that you go back to the hospital and go back to the clinic there so that you can get the treatment you need," the magistrate advised Legister.