Man fined but told not to pay

Kevin Tyson, who has spent several months in lockup, left the Magistrate’s Court grinning from ear to ear when Magistrate Ayanna Baptiste-DaBreo ordered his release from custody.

Tyson was on remand for, among other reasons, assaulting Anthony Cheltenham in 2015.

During Tyson’s court appearance last week, he pleaded guilty to the offence. Magistrate Baptiste-DaBreo then fined him $2,000, but told him he didn’t have to pay the money.

“Given that you have been on remand, I would say that this debt is cleared,” she said. The fine had a default sentence of four months imprisonment.

Traffic-related offences

Tyson also had other matters before the court that dated back to 2015.

In those matters, he was charged with taking a conveyance without lawful authority, driving without due care and attention, driving without a driver’s licence, driving when not covered by insurance, and reckless driving.

“In all of these, I would also say that the default sentences have also been served,” Magistrate Baptiste-DaBreo declared.

She then told Tyson that he was free to go.

Pending case

Most of his cases are now out of the way, but Tyson will return to court on June 12 to stand trial in another case in which he is charged with being armed with an offensive weapon.

Previous conviction

Tyson, in the meantime, has had another conviction.

Just last year, he attacked a police officer in the courtroom at John’s Hole. He then pleaded guilty to assault causing actual bodily harm, and showing disrespect to a magistrate before whom a judicial proceeding was being held. He was only ordered to pay $300 compensation to the cop he had injured.