Alleged phone thief collapses, spits blood in court
Published:Wednesday | August 10, 2022 | 12:09 AMChristopher Thomas/Gleaner Writer
WESTERN BUREAU:
THE WESTMORELAND Parish Court’s usual handling of judicial matters momentarily came to a halt on Tuesday as Warren Scavella, one of the three men accused of stealing $2 million worth of cellular phones during the Dream Weekend party series, collapsed while spitting blood on an officer.
Scavella, along with his co-defendants Kieron Liscombre and Denvere Robinson, had just had their highly anticipated bail hearing put off until August 16 because of the prosecution’s case file being incomplete. Their bail hearing had previously been put off during their last court appearance on August 3.
Visitors and court staff alike gawked in surprise as Scavella had to be held up by a court officer and made to sit on the prisoners’ bench. He was eventually removed from the courtroom along with Liscombre and Robinson.
Attorney-at-law Martyn Thomas, who is part of the men’s defence team, along with fellow lawyers Henry McCurdy and Shane Walker, confirmed that Scavella was taken for medical examination.
The drama did not stop with Scavella’s medical emergency, as a woman identified as a relative of the defendant was heard behaving boisterously and shouting abuse at court staff moments later.
“I made a report. I have you all on tape!” the woman screamed as officers ordered her to leave the premises.
Judge Walters was told that the three defendants’ criminal records, which had previously been requested to assist in the bail application, had not yet been brought from Kingston to be put on the file.
The court was also told that contrary to a request from the attorneys, the outstanding reports could not be made available before Friday, August 12.
As a result, the bail hearing was deferred to August 16 and the men were ordered remanded.
Scavella, Liscombre, and Robinson were held and later charged following a police operation on July 31, during which several items were seized. The items included 16 iPhones, two Samsung Galaxy phones, two laptops, and 36 R-Sims, which are used to unlock phones, along with J$200,000 and £30 in cash.
The items were allegedly stolen from patrons of the Dream Weekend event, which was held in Negril between July 29 and August 1.