Call for more police, secure area at St. Elizabeth court

 

There is a call for more police officers at courts in St. Elizabeth following an incident at the Santa Cruz Courthouse last Friday which resulted in damage to two cars.

 

It was reported that Corrlington Forbes, who is said to be mentally ill, damaged the vehicles belonging to a police officer and clerk of the parish court.

 

Mr. Forbes went onto the compound of the court and started behaving boisterously, while demanding to see the judge.

 

He was ordered to leave the premises, but jumped on two cars, causing substantial damage to the vehicles, including the windscreens.

 

Mr. Forbes was taken into custody and charged with malicious destruction of property.

 

He is scheduled to appear in the St. Elizabeth Parish Court in Black River on Wednesday.

 

Attorney Thomas Levene said the absence of a sterile area for court staff in Santa Cruz led to Friday afternoon's unfortunate incident. 

 

"Where the court staff are permitted to park, or their allocation, the crowd mixes with the court staff and their vehicles, and there is even some hindrance in terms of how court staff and prisoners are being transported or traversed between the court house and the nearby police station. Once upon a time, we had what was called a sterile zone being established, so that we don't have that commingling." 

 

According to Mr. Levene, with proper coordination, the physical challenges at the court can be overcome to provide a safe environment for visitors and staff. 

 

"Some level of order and isolation and the sterility can be maintained. The court's facility is poorly built, and the layout is very poor. And we have called for time and time again for a proper court facility to be built in Santa Cruz, which is the main courthouse for St. Elizabeth," the attorney demanded.