Man leaves policewoman at death’s door

Nov 10, 2009 News

…but cop drops charges, fined $35,000 for wasting court’s time

Even after she was brutally stabbed by her lover and hovered near death, a policewoman told a Berbice Magistrate that she and the man had made up and that she did not wish to pursue with the criminal charge against him.

For that, the woman, Lance Corporal Rodlyn Hooper, 32, of Lonsdale, East Bank Berbice was on Friday ordered to pay two fines totaling $35,000 by Magistrate Adela Nagamootoo.

The magistrate informed Hooper that she had wasted the court’s time.

Hooper’s 31-yr old lover, Leon Thomas, of Number One Road, Corentyne, Berbice was charged with attempted murder which stemmed from the June 28, 2008, Pitt Street, New Amsterdam incident.

The woman appeared at the New Amsterdam Magistrate’s Court and swore that she does not want the matter to continue, since she and her paramour had since made up and are living together again at her East Bank Berbice home.

She asked the Magistrate to dismiss the matter.

She also asked the magistrate to remove the restrictions that were placed on her lover under the Domestic Violence Act, which had prohibited him from being a certain distance from her person.

She told the court that she is expecting to migrate soon.

The magistrate assented to the policewoman’s request and dismissed the matter and lifted the restrictions.

She however ordered Hooper to pay court cost of $30,000 on the dismissal of the attempted murder charge and $5,000 on the lifting of the other matter, noting that Hooper had wasted the court’s time and that the matters were serious.

Hooper’s attorney Joe Misir asked the court for a reduction of the penalty, stating that they were too severe.

However, the Magistrate remained firm in her decision and responded that since the woman and her lover are now two in one, they can join and pay the penalty.

Thomas was charged with attempting to murder Hooper after she had refused his advances to make amends following their separation.

The woman was in a store in Pitt Street, New Amsterdam, when the accused who was stalking her, came up and asked her to reunite with him.

After she refused his request Thomas then started to tug at her and a scuffle ensued during which he whipped out a knife and dealt her several stabs and chops about her body.

She managed to escape and was rescued and subsequently rushed to the New Amsterdam hospital, where she was admitted and underwent emergency operation.

After being on the run for some time, Thomas was arrested on August 1, last year. He was charged and subsequently released on bail.