A 14-year-old San Fernando student was denied bail yesterday when he appeared in court on charges of attempting to murder his schoolmate and committing grievous bodily harm against another student at the San Fernando West Secondary School. The Form Two student, who was accompanied by his parents, appeared before Magistrate Alicia Chankar in the Fourth Court. In denying bail Chankar said the incident was not just a fist fight. "We have a VC (virtual complainant) in hospital ICU and your client is charged with attempted murder and grievous bodily harm," she told the teen's attorney, Subhas Panday.
The offences allegedly took place on Monday. Keanu Achong, 15, of Pleasantville, was allegedly beaten with a piece of iron, while Shanna Williams, 15, of San Fernando, was allegedly punched in her face. Prosecutor Sgt Russell Ramoutar said Achong was warded in the Intensive Care Unit of the San Fernando General Hospital. Williams is also warded. In applying for bail, Panday described the situation as unfortunate, saying young people were victims of the education system and society. He said there was a literacy and numeracy problem among several students and those children who slipped through the cracks were laughed at and provoked.
Panday said the teenager had no prior problems with the law or in school and his information was that Achong had improved considerably. Chankar said while she agreed that the accused might have been a victim of society, at the end of the day what was before the court and consequences had to be considered. She said based on the seriousness of the offence she would remand the teen to the Youth Training Centre. However, she subsequently granted Panday's request that he be remanded to the St Michael's School for Boys instead. He will return to court on October 13. (SW)
