Woman tells magistrate “send me to jail” for beating pensioner

Mar 01, 2025 News

Kaieteur News- A woman who admitted to stomping and assaulting a 76-year-old vendor on Friday begged to Acting Chief Magistrate Faith McGusty to send her to jail for the crime.

The defendant, Shania Melville, appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court to answer an assault charge.

Woman tells magistrate “send me to jail” for beating pensioner

Shania Melville

As Magistrate McGusty was reading the charge to Melville, she kept interrupting her with a request to explain. Melville said, “you said causing actual bodily harm… is it like causing somebody pain?” before instructing the magistrate to proceed with the matter, “carry on, carry on your honour.”

Melville then admitted to assaulting Joseph Canterbury on February 26, 2025 at Stabroek Market, Georgetown.

Magistrate McGusty asked the defendant to explain why she pleaded guilty and Melville responded, “I don’t have the time for you, just send me to jail. My worship me ain’t got the time for you, do what you have to do and I will do what I have to do”.

The prosecution told the court that Melville is no stranger to the law as she has a similar charge pending before the court and another under investigation.

The court heard too that Melville and Canterbury had a confrontation which resulted in her assaulting the vendor by kicking and stomping him across his body. It was also disclosed that the woman behaved disorderly at the police station.

Canterbury told the court that he was walking out of the market when he felt somebody pushed him in a corner and he fell to the ground. He said he responded, “What happen man like y’all don’t have no manners?”

Canterbury said that Melville then stomped him in his chest, before the other vendors rushed to his rescue.

For her part, Melville accepted what she did was wrong. However, she said that Canterbury was extremely close to her and she was unaware of his reasons for being that close to her as she had money in her pocket.

In addition to that, Melville said that she was experiencing abdominal pain so she turned and kicked Canterbury after which she experienced some relief. “I just turned around and kicked him and my belly stopped hurting,” she said.

After listening to the victim and Melville’s explanation of what transpired, Magistrate McGusty sentenced the woman to nine months imprisonment and ordered that she seek counseling for her behaviour that she portrayed in court and towards the victim. (Francwa Fortune)

(Woman tells magistrate “send me to jail” for beating pensioner)

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Assault, court, remanded, Shania Melville

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