‘Party crasher’ on $80,000 bail after alleged gun assault

Aug 14, 2012 News

…..gives court wrong name

A man who invaded a family get together on Friday last was yesterday placed on $80,000 bail for allegedly assaulting one of the female attendees with a gun after the woman refused to acknowledge the pass he made at her.

Edward Hubert Mc Cullen

Thirty-three year-old Edward Hubert Mc Cullen, who performs security duties for a former Assistant Commissioner of Police, was also accused of assaulting a 13-year-old family member at the party. The East Coast resident pleaded not guilty when he appeared before Magistrate Hazel Octive–Hamilton at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court to answer the charges of common assault.
It was reported that the man committed the act with a firearm at East La Penitence, Georgetown, on August 10.
Prosecutor Simone Payne told the court that the defendant appeared uninvited at a party that was held by the victim when the incident occurred. She said that the defendant had made a pass at the virtual complainant (VC) who ignored him. She said the VC subsequently received a call on her cell phone, and while on the phone the defendant reportedly pulled out a gun which he braced on the victim’s face before making threats.
In relation to the assault on the 13-year-old boy, Payne said the defendant had uplifted the alcohol from the party and placed it on his car. The young teen reportedly went and retrieved the alcohol from the defendant’s car bonnet. But that enraged Mc Cullen who reportedly lashed the boy across the face with the gun.
Further information said that the victim and her family had dialed 911 and a police patrol vehicle in the area responded. The defendant was taken to the East La Penitence Police Station. Mc Cullen was arrested and charged with the offence.
Kaieteur News also understands that the victim and her family were hosting a birthday party for a 54-year-old member of the family when the incident occurred, around 10:30 hours on the day in question, and although it was not stated in court, the victims allegedly received physical injuries.
Prior to the charges being read, the court and the defendant had an exchange of words when the defendant lied about his name. The Magistrate remembered the defendant from other matters he had in court. She said the name he gave was not the name he initially gave the court.
Magistrate Octive-Hamilton reminded the defendant that the last time he appeared before her, he was using the name Hubert Mc Cullen. And even as the defendant called out his full name, he was warned not to lie to the court, before the Magistrate threatened to have him enter the witness box to swear to the truth of what he was saying. If found lying, a perjury charge would be the result, she threatened.
The Magistrate’s good memory prevailed when the name previously recorded for the defendant was provided to the court. It showed that the man indeed gave a different name when charged before. The court then ordered that for safety, both the defendant’s names be recorded.
Mc Cullen was then placed on $80,000 bail. He will return to court on September 24.