Father of 30 charged with perverting justice

May 23, 2017 News

A father of 30 yesterday appeared in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts where he answered to a charge of attempting to pervert the course of justice.

On BAIL: Martin Atwell

Martin Atwell, 45, of Lot 374 East Ruimveldt, denied the allegation which read that on May 15, at Georgetown, he attempted to pervert the course of justice by contacting Hurst Simons to give false information to the police.
The seaman was represented by attorney Dexter Todd who asked that his client be released on reasonable bail. The attorney told the court that one of his client’s sons found himself in “some problems” and he was informed by the police that they were going to release him if he offered them a certain amount of money.
Todd told the court that due to the fact that his client is a concerned parent, he contacted the virtual complainant (Simons) who is a taxi driver, in order to ascertain what exactly was the problem between Simons and his son.
Todd told the court that his client is a very well known person to the police since he has a matter in the Court as the virtual complainant. Atwell was released on $200,000 bail and will make his next court appearance on June 5.
Police Prosecutor Shawn Gonsalves, who presented the charge against the father, told the court on the day in question Simons dropped the defendant’s son at his destination. The prosecutor added that after the drop was made Simon, upon checking his vehicle, found a firearm and ammunition in the seat in which Atwell (the son) was sitting.
The defendant’s son, Jose Atwell, 21, of East Ruimveldt, Georgetown was last Thursday remanded to prison by Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan after he pleaded not guilty to having in his possession a 9mm pistol and 14 live rounds.
Prosecutor Arvin Moore, who is leading evidence against the son, had told the court that the defendant was a passenger in a taxi. The prosecutor said that after Jose Atwell disembarked the vehicle, the driver found a firearm in the passenger’s seat. The taxi driver then drove his vehicle to the Ruimveldt Police Station where he reported the matter.
Jose Atwell was arrested and charged after he admitted to the offence. He has to return to court on June 7.