Center is Kadeem Maynard

Photo Credit: BVI Platinum News

Center is Kadeem Maynard

Photo Credit: BVI Platinum News

A young man who runs a catering service and cleaning business admitted to chasing after students of the Elmore Stoutt High School (ESHS) with a baseball bat over a missing cellular phone of another student.

When he appeared before Magistrate Tamia Richards today, June 20, Kadeem Maynard, 21 of Greenland pleaded guilty to being armed with an offensive weapon.

Arising out of the same incident, the mother of the student who lost the phone was also charged with using indecent language. Petranella Frett maintains her not guilty plea for two counts of the charge and will return to court on July 12 when a date for trial will be set.

During plea in mitigation for her client, Maynard, Attorney at Law Ruthilia Maximea said he is the father of a young baby girl and is remorseful for his actions on that day. She said he erred in judgment.

Further, Maximea, who asked for her client to receive a noncustodial sentence, said Maynard had no idea that the bat would be used in the incident since the bat was in his vehicle in preparation for his baseball game later that afternoon.

However, Magistrate Richards intervened and stated that Maynard was not playing baseball when he was chasing the students.

Maximea said there was no planning by her client and no student was injured.

Maynard briefly apologised to the court and the public for his actions.

Prosecutor Jude Hanley said on Wednesday, June 1, 2011, a student of the ESHS had in her possession a cellular phone which was in her school bag and she was showing to her fellow classmates. Hanley said the student then put the phone back in her bag, but later discovered that it was missing. She then contacted her mother Petranella Frett and as a result, Frett and Maynard visited the high school.

Hanley told the court that on arrival, Maynard and Frett signed the security register at the main gate and had a conversation with one of the Assistant Principals. She said as a result of that discussion, they went to the classroom of Frett's daughter and proceeded to conduct searches on the students and their belongings.

Hanley stated that one of the students objected to being searched and this led to a dispute between Frett, Maynard and some of the students.

The court was told that Maynard and Frett went to the main gate and made efforts to stop the students from leaving the compound. Hanley said there was an issue between the security guards and the two defendants over the latter.

Hanley stated that Maynard then ran to a parked jeep, took up a baseball bat and chased after the students back inside the school yard.

He will be sentenced on July 12.