Judge warns defendant to leave booze alone

(CNS): Justice Seymour Panton sat as the acting Grand Court judge Friday, overseeing the progress of a number of cases through the local judicial system. He also gave some rehabilitative advice to a defendant charged with assaulting a man with a beer bottle while intoxicated. "If you can't control yourself, don't drink," the judge said, when commenting on David Smith's level of intoxication on the night of the offense. He continued by telling him to "leave the drinking to those who can control themselves", before scheduling a sentencing hearing for Smith in the next two weeks, following his anticipated guilty plea.

The court also heard that in the upcoming week two more accused men may be added to a charge for the robbery of a local television company with three other alleged accomplices.

During the morning’s proceedings local attorney John Furniss was able to gain the judge's agreement to return a client's passport in exchange for a $5,000 surety so that Neith Rheingold could complete his studies overseas. Rheingold pleaded not guilty to inflicting and causing grievous bodily harm with intent. The victim was punched several times outside his residence while sitting in his vehicle and sustained some facial injuries, including a broken nose. Rheingold is set for trial in July 2014 after sitting his exams in the United Kingdom.

Justice Panton has been President of the Jamaican Court of Appeal for over 6 years and will continue to sit as an acting judge in the Cayman Islands until the 23 of this month.