Found at: http://www.anguillaguide.com/article/articleprint/6139/-1/140/
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PRISON CELLS PACKED AS CARNIVAL ENDED
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Up to fifteen persons were added to the prison cells by the time carnival ended on Sunday, August 10, arising from disorderly conduct involving fighting and throwing missiles mainly during the Last Lap of the Summer Festival on Saturday, August 9.
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Sgt. Yearwood, Supt. Proctor and Insp. Sinclair
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Reporting on the matter at the regular Wednesday press briefing, Inspector Paul Sinclair, of the Drug and Firearm Task Force, said the police had been monitoring the situation between the gangs during the pre-carnival events and the actual activities. “Tragically, the carnival ended with loss of life and serious disorder at Last Lap,” he said. “What went on is for the public record but a lot… of people are still to appear before the court while there are also a number of people who have been arrested, placed before the court, pleaded guilty to taking part in the disorder and have been dealt with and sentenced to short terms of imprisonment.
Carnival may be over, but the work of the Police and the Drugs and Firearms Task Force will continue tirelessly to bring those to justice who are yet to be arrested, interviewed, etc. My appeal is that if there are people who were at Last Lap and witnessed any level of disorder, whether it involved people kicking or punching or throwing missiles. If persons come forward, as some have done, rest assured that we will act immediately on it and bring those perpetrators to justice. As late as Monday of this week, we obtained a warrant in the first instance and arrested a male on suspicion of inflicting grievous bodily harm during the carnival and that only happened because a member of the public stepped forward and provided the police with the evidence that was required not only to arrest the alleged perpetrator but also to place him before the court.”Head of the Task Force, Superintendent Rudolph Proctor, said that some people described the disorder as near mayhem in terms of the level of violence displayed mainly by young persons. The violence, which lasted between 15 and 20 minutes, occurred between the Anguilla Drugstore and the Roundabout at the Webster Park. He named a long list of persons from the Valley and Blowing Point who were remanded to prison to await additional trial and requested further information from the public to take the cases forward.
“As a result of the incidents that occurred in the jamming, a young man died after having been stabbed; another young man (Kareem Lake) was stabbed and is recuperating from his injuries. There is also a lady (Rose Richardson of North Hill), who received an injury to her head and who is also recuperating,” Proctor stated. He told the media that a number of other persons were injured but were not coming forward to report to the police, preferring not to get involved.
“We are continuing to appeal to the general public who has witnessed any of the incidents to come forward and provide us with information. As a result of that we have now launched a murder investigation and we have so far charged a Mr. Brandon Romney of Blowing Point in relation to the murder.
“We cannot allow these perpetrators to feel that they can come and go anywhere on the island and inflict violence and serious injury, disturb the peace and go away with the feeling that no one will come forward (with evidence). If like no other time, we are appealing to the general public to come forward and make a statement by offering evidential support that would bring these perpetrators to justice.”
Earlier in the press briefing, Sergeant Randolph Yearwood, reported that during the period July 30 to August 13, thirty-five (35) male persons were arrested some of them for the Last Lap violence.
Seven of the arrests were to prevent a breach of the peace; five persons were arrested for being armed with offensive weapons; nine for disorderly conduct/throwing missiles; two for driving under the influence of alcohol; two for grievous bodily harm; one for robbery; one for possession of firearms; two for criminal damage; one for a breach of a court order; another for breach of a court curfew’ one for theft and forgery; one for possession of cannabis; one for incest; and one for murder.