The man accused of causing Samuel Clarke’s death by driving a motorcycle in a manner dangerous to the public along Bank Hall Main Road, St Michael on June 22, has been further remanded.
Shawayne Deshawn Williams, 20, of #16 Main Avenue, Eden Lodge, St Michael faces that and eight other charges, including riding without due care and attention, not having a license, not having the vehicle insured and failing to give his name and address to police.
Shawayne Deshawn Williams
Last month, Station Sergeant Peter Barrow objected to bail before Magistrate Graveney Bannister, on the grounds that Williams was a flight risk, that he had allegedly fled from the scene of the accident, that the offences were serious and that a life had been lost.
Today, Station Sergeant Irvin Kellman renewed those objections before acting Magistrate Elwood Watts.
Attorney-at-law Angella Mitchell-Gittens said her client was a Barbadian national who was unlikely to abscond. Even though the matters are serious, she said, “they are not such that persons aren’t granted bail as a matter of course”.
The attorney pointed out that some with a similar charge (causing death by dangerous driving) have pleaded guilty to a lesser charge and not spent any time in prison.
She argued that the prosecution had nothing to show that Williams was a threat to witnesses or that the society needed to be protected from him. Mitchell-Gittens also pointed out that Williams’ charges arose out of an accident.
She urged the court to grant him bail and attach any conditions deemed fit.
Watts urged the prosecutor to inform the court of the progress of the investigations by the next occasion, adding that “it touches my conscience when a man stays in prison and we can’t say in any definitive way how the matter will proceed”.
Williams returns to court on August 23.