A request for police constable Dirwayne Omar Cumberbatch to be remanded to the Psychiatric Hospital to undergo an evaluation was denied by Magistrate Wanda Blair today.
Moments after the 30-year-old cop from Around the Town, Speightstown, St Peter, stood in the dock of the Holetown Magistrates Court and pleaded guilty to 13 counts of burglary and one count of going equipped, his lawyer Arthur Holder asked the magistrate for Cumberbatch to be sent to the Black Rock, St Michael mental institution for an assessment.
As Cumberbatch sat with his head bowed and hands clasped, Arthur revealed to the court that his client had been dealing with depression.
“It has been brought to my attention that my client was sent to counselling by the Assistant Commissioner of Police [Leila] Strickland and that it was related to depression.
“I am asking for him to be remanded to the Psychiatric Hospital for an assessment to be done so that the court can be properly apprised of the mental state of the young man,” the veteran lawyer submitted.
However, prosecutor Inspector Janice Ifill quickly objected to the request.
“I believe that whatever help he needs can be given from Dodds,” she insisted.
In her arguments, Ifill pointed out that the convicted man had been on a crime spree spanning 13 months, during which he terrorized businesses in the Speightstown area.
She said Cumberbatch went well-equipped to commit the crimes and in some cases the properties were not recovered.
And while she did acknowledge that he had no previous convictions, Ifill said, “all of them are very serious matters and should be dealt with accordingly”.
Holder countered by saying that any evaluation done at the Psychiatric Hospital would be more thorough.
Despite his arguments, Magistrate Blair agreed with the prosecutor and remanded Cumberbatch to prison until December 10.
She said while he was there he would be able to get both a pre-sentencing report and a psychiatric evaluation done at the same time.
“Young persons are usually remanded to Dodds for reports and an evaluation can be done at the same time,” she noted.
Earlier, a serious-looking Cumberbatch clad in a blue shirt and grey pants emerged from a grey police SUV vehicle handcuffed and was escorted into the courtroom by a plainclothes police officer.
A woman, who was later identified as his mother, screamed her support on the outside of the building.
“I love you baby. I will always love you. You won’t be the first or the last,” she shouted.
After entering a guilty plea to all 14 charges read to him, Cumberbatch issued a brief apology for his actions.
He was reportedly on suspension when the incidents occurred.
“I would like to apologize to the Royal Barbados Police Force for the shame and embarrassment which I have caused and also to the business places for loss and damage,” he said.
Cumberbatch pleaded guilty to entering MY Bhana Everything Store on October 25, 2018, with intent to steal, while in possession of a bolt cutter for use in connection with burglary.
He also pleaded guilty to entering the retail store and stealing $5580, 25 sim cards and a quantity of sexual enhancement pills, a total value of $6830, between July 2 and 3.
Cumberbatch admitted to entering Shazzers Bar on May 28, 2018, and stealing two bottles of whisky and $312, a total value of $446.
The police officer also pleaded guilty to entering the same bar between October 22 and 23, 2018 and stealing four cases of beer and a case of stout valued $232 belonging to Sharon Stuart.
He also pleaded guilty to entering the same bar between July 12 and 13, 2018, and stealing a bottle of whisky and $50 and again between May 9 and 10, 2018 when he stole 10 bottles of liquor and $1296, a total value of $1836.
Cumberbatch also admitted to entering Little Bristol Beach Bar between May 27 and 28, 2018 and stealing 12 bottles of alcohol and four cases of cigarettes valued $1595 belonging to Roderick Rogers.
He admitted that between June 22 and 23, 2018, he also entered the beach bar and stole a bottle of brandy, two cartons of cigarettes, a bottle of tequila, one whisky, three bottles of vodka and $20; total value of $1142.50.
Additionally, Cumberbatch pleaded guilty to entering J&M Auto Parts between September 22 and 23, 2018, and stealing two gallons of transmission fuel, three quarts of oil, three wiper blades, an oil filter, a bottle of windshield washer fluid, two coil packs, four boxes of spark plugs and $125; a total value of $673 belonging to Clive Jordan.
He also admitted to entering Jen’s Nutrition Market between October 13 and 15, 2018 and stealing one safe, four boxes of root extract, nine bottles of dietary supplements, two cash boxes and $1779, a total value of $2891.75 belonging to Jen’s Health and Beauty Supplies.
Cumberbatch also pleaded guilty to entering Play 2 Win sometime between Oct 24 and 25, 2018 and stealing $60 belonging to Cage Barbados Inc and that between September 24 and 25, 2017, he entered Jordan’s Supermarket and stole five gift sets, 10 bottles of whisky, 21 bottles of brandy and eight bottles of rum valued $3318.35.
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