More time granted to evaluate man accused of biting infant

Senior doctors at the St Ann’s Hospital have requested an additional 14 days to complete psychiatric evaluation on the man accused of biting a child last December. Jermour Noel, 24 of Poinsettia Drive, off Coconut Drive, Morvant, made his third appearance before Chief Magistrate Marcia Ayers-Caesar in the Port-of-Spain Eighth Court on Thursday.

Noel was charged with causing grievous bodily harm to an unnamed child, the daughter of Tineka Henry, on December 9 at Calvary Hill, Port-of-Spain with intent to do grievous bodily harm. At his initial appearance on December 12, Noel was not called upon to plead.

Reappearing around 10.12 am yesterday, clad in a printed brown shirt and black pants, Noel appeared calm and relaxed as he nodded to relatives seated in court. Ayers-Caesar informed Noel’s attorney Vitti Furlonge-Kelly, that a letter had been received from the North West Regional Health Authority (NWRHA) requesting more time to complete the psychiatric evaluation.

The St Ann's Hospital falls within the jurisdiction of the NWRHA. Asking the magistrate to say what tests still needed to be done, Furlonge-Kelly said: “I am in the middle of a stream. I don’t want to object to the request for further time but it is important to know that a comprehensive report is done at the end of the day.”

Unable to say what doctors still needed to do, Ayers-Caesar said a report would be submitted to the court at the end of the evaluation. Emphasising that it was important to him that several tests be done, Furlonge-Kelly said these must include a psychiatric evaluation, an IQ test to determine autism or retardation, a blood analysis, as well as CT and MRI scans.

Ayers-Caesar responded to Furlonge-Kelly saying: “I am sure they know what they are doing.” Declaring himself to be “a revolutionary” and someone who often thinks outside the box, Furlonge-Kelly said it was also important that the history of the child be included in the final report, so he hoped all relevant parties would be interviewed.

Furlonge-Kelly said depending on the report, he will seek to make a bail application on Noel’s behalf later on so he could receive private medical attention and the findings submitted to the court. Cpl Roopnarine Sankar of the Besson Street Police Station who laid the charge was absent from court yesterday and was said to be on exercise duty.

Noel will re-appear on January 24.