Man recently released from prison put back on remand; new offences
Mervin Flaherty, Jr during a previous court appearance.
Mervin Flaherty, Jr – the man who was only released from prison and put on bail in April – is back before the court for allegedly committing a series of new offences.
Flaherty pleaded not guilty to being in possession of an offensive weapon, using indecent language, and three counts of threatening language when he appeared before Senior Magistrate Tamia Richards — the judge who had freed him months ago after noting that ‘improvement’ in his behaviour.
She revoked his bail on Thursday, despite hearing that the 20-year-old is prone to hurting himself.
It an attempt to win bail for his client, defence attorney Patrick Thompson told the court that Flaherty should be in a hospital and treated for his ‘suicidal tendencies’.
In fact, he claimed the Flaherty already harmed himself since being arrested and charged on September 4. He said Flaherty being sent to Her Majesty’s Prison is ‘likely to prove disastrous.’
However, Magistrate Richards was not keen to offer bail to the ‘troubled’ man for the second time. She said the accused can get medical attention while on remand.
Flaherty, in the meantime, is said to have earned the latest set of charges after being involved in what was described to the court as love triangle saga.
Allegations
The court heard that on May 8, Flaherty was riding a scooter when he noticed the complainant driving in Road Town.
He allegedly drove up alongside the complainant’s vehicle and said: ‘I am going to kill your mother c****.”
Upon hearing this, the complainant made a report at the Road Town Police Station where the accused met him and allegedly threatened him a second time.
While in the presence of police, Flaherty allegedly told the man: “I have some shots for you.”
The court further heard that the complainant was driving his taxi in Road Town on September 4 when Flaherty reportedly stopped in front of him.
It is said that the complainant took out his cellular phone and started recording the incident.
It is alleged that Flaherty had a knife in his possession and threatened the complainant.
‘You a dead man’
In an attempt to escape, the complainant reportedly swerved his vehicle and collided with the accused man’s scooter.
The complainant attempted to leave the area but Flaherty allegedly threatened him saying: “You going to die tonight. You a dead man.”
Flaherty allegedly threatened another man during that incident. The accused allegedly told the other man: “I got a bullet with your name on it.”
It is alleged that when police accosted Flaherty in relation to the reports, he responded: “I know the boy (the complainant). That’s my girl’s ex-boyfriend … Officers, I don’t be troubling this man. I don’t threaten this man. This man always coming in my way.”
He is scheduled to return to court on September 27.
Flaherty has had a number of reported run-ins with the law and among them are reports of attempted robbery, theft, assaulting police officers, and behaving disorderly at a police station.
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Good call magistrate. Lock him up before its too late and he kills somebody. He can always get a mental health visit there, and placed on suicide watch so that he does not harm himself.
People with suicidal idealization also can have homicidal idealization as well. His reported behavior is troubling.
This boy is a t——- youth and is in need of some serious help. Locking him up is not the way to solve the issue. If you look at this child High School record you will understand why he acts the way he does. We tend to drop the ball on these youths and think jail will change them, but infact they make it worst. The Prison does not have a reform program in place to help these youth to become better citizen when place back in society.
What would you say if he kills someone? When he was in school, did you reach out to him, his parents, or the principal to get him the help he clearly needs?
If you saw red flags then, what did you do to help him?
If this was a case of him just wanting to hurt himself I would agree with you, but what the court decided was that he was a threat to others.
You cant people running around reportedly threatening others no matter their mental state. In some countries, they get shot.
@OK Teacher. You must have attended school on the weekends. Teachers can only provide so much support. They’re not Professional Counselors and Physiatrists. Why should it have to get to that point of him wanting to kill some or even himself, if there are ways of helping him? We live in a society instead of helping each other we place lables without addressing the root of the problem.
Should the magistrate wait for this guy to kill someone before she acts?
If this guy really has issues, he certainly needs help. However, if he has issues and breaks the law, he still has to be held accountable for his actions.
And by the way, to the Teacher above, he is NOT a child. He is a 20 year old young adult who should know right from wrong unless he is in full psychosis.
As for your saying, teachers are “… not Professional Counselors and Psychiatrists, no one expect them to be; however, it is incumbent upon them that should they encounter a student whose behavior is troubling, they should at least bring that to the attention of the Principal who can take it from there.
Sitting back, not getting involved, and awaiting for something to happen is negligent on their part.
May I remind you what the article stated this guy said:
‘I am going to kill your mother c****.”
“I have some shots for you.”
“You going to die tonight. You a dead man.”
“I got a bullet with your name on it.”
Those statements are not to be played with. He needed to be locked up period regardless of his performance in school.
Stop making excuses for bad behavior. The magistrate did the right thing. By sending him to jail, she may have inadvertently avoided a tragedy, and saved someones life.
This young man has been ——— since he came to Tortola. He should be sent home. In the meantime, put him in Balsam Ghut.
So why is he still here is he is not from here. If he was not born in the VI and is nothing but trouble deport his @$$
Deport him where dumba**?
Wherever he came from. Think is Dominica. If not mistaken, he comes from ——- family. Uncle —— other uncle during parent’s funeral period supposedly arguing about land. His father p——- —— his mother. It’s in the genes… In high school he was involved in many ———s and f——-. He is in need of great intervention.
Home where? Up your mother?
At @ Totally disepectful no wonder he is like that and will not change because of you all. Everyone on here knows that this kind of comment can only come from inside. Well good readiencr. Train up a child in the way he should grow and in the future he will not depart. Remember what the good book say, do good and good will follow you. Hope one day he will find himself before its to late.
How quick the men of this generation are to threaten with gun violence SMH.I wish the law will start to be more strict with some of these fools
Sad truth. They call that stupidity (LIT) some are encouraged by blind females.
Best he had —- his self first time. L—-
Better he kill himself than be let loose again to —– someone else. Also why do we keep these people here if he not from here. We got enough p——— of our own.
Hes a Trini?
No. he not Trini. He M—— Flaherty brother.
This man is a stone cold c—- and don’t like freedom throw he slung way lock he up and lost he good r——
He is a bloody t—-. — belongs to b—-.– open down thre—— people with guns just because — associated with the red g——- Harrigan estate.
He is a —— to society
People must live in peace
i wan know if the man wa run he down off the bike going atleast geh a charge