A white husband and wife, believed to be from Australia, were formally charged by police in Grenada this morning for the offence of Harm in connection with the beating of a local black man on Thursday.
According to lawyer for the injured man, Evans Smith, the Police have confirmed the charge but are not giving out much details to the family of the beaten man.
American-trained barrister-at-law, Jerry Edwin told THE NEW TODAY that the police have refused to furnish Smith with the names of the white couple that beat him in the well-to-do Fort Jeudy area in the St. George South constituency.
Well-placed sources have identified the male as Donal Kavanagh and the female as Sarah Hatton.
The incident was sparked off when a vehicle driven by Smith hit a dog owned by the family as it ran into the public road.
The local who has a physical problem and is restricted in his movement, was beaten about the face and body by several members of the white family.
There are also reports that the white family seized the keys of Smith’s vehicle after beating him.
Edwin said that from discussions held with the police investigators, he understood that a third member of the family could be charged in connection with the Smith incident as part of the ongoing investigation by the police into the matter.
“There is certainly the possibility of a third arrest involving a family member,” said the defence attorney.
Edwin disclosed that the defence lawyers looking after the interest of Smith would review the charge of Harm slapped by the police on the husband and wife with a view to taking steps to get it upgraded to wounding.
“It may be elevated to wounding if the police determine that there was a puncture or wound. The way the law is written, laceration is not wounding – it has to be a puncture of the skin like stabbing or something like that. I can see the prosecutor amending this to wounding,” he said.
The maximum penalty for the offence of harm in Grenada is $4-5, 000.00 before a Magistrate’s Court.
Another defence attorney, Derick Sylvester is said to be working with a team of lawyers to slap a series of civil lawsuits seeking heavy monetary compensation for Smith from the family for the wounds inflicted on him.
THE NEW TODAY understands that a defence lawyer associated with the ruling New National Party (NNP) government of Prime Minister Dr. Keith Mitchell is representing the white family in the matter against Smith.
A resident of Fort Jeudy described the white family as “arrogant” and said that the husband runs a dingy service at a local boat yard.
“…They think they are superior to all and what was done (to Smith) was just like them,” she said.
“…He is always threatening people (and believes) his money talks. Well it is the wrong man he tackled,” she chipped in.
The incident has sparked off an uproar in the country as Grenadians took to social media to express concern that a white family can come into the country and maul a local black man over an incident involving a dog.
There was a protest march on Saturday from the entrance of Fort Jeudy to the Central Police Station on the Carenage with demonstrators carrying placards calling for justice for the injured Smith.
The Guyanese-born wife of Smith took part in the march as her traumatised husband was too ill to venture outside the home.