KINGSTOWN, St. Vincent, CMC -A 38-year-old man was sentenced to 11 months in jail after his 80-year-old grandmother, who was given a chance to decide whether he should go to prison, virtually slammed the prison cell door shut with her words, with him inside.
“Well, I can’t go against the court. Whatever the court says, I have to satisfy. That ain’t mean that he’s going behave himself better. … He is very rough and rude. Sometimes, you talk to him, and he listens; other times, he doesn’t,” Kerhen Jacobs told Chief Magistrate Colin John when asked what she thought of the prosecution’s suggestion that her grandson be given a suspended sentence.
As a result, Jamel Douglas will spend the next 11 months in prison for assaulting his grandmother on December 26, 2025 — Boxing Day — causing actual bodily harm. And when he is released from prison, he has two months to compensate the woman EC$270 (One EC dollar=US$0.37 cents) for her cellphone, which he smashed during the same incident, or spend a further six months in prison.
Douglas first appeared in court on December 29, last year, where he pleaded guilty to a charge that on December 26, 2025, without lawful excuse, he damaged one black Nokia cellular phone valued at EC$270, Jacobs’ property, intending to damage such property.
He also pleaded guilty to a charge that he assaulted Jacobs, causing actual bodily harm. During the sentencing hearing, the prosecutor, Shamrack Pierre, had suggested that Douglas be given a suspended sentence.
However, when Chief Magistrate Colin John asked Jacobs what she thought about that, she pointed out that Douglas had repeatedly been aggressive to her. “So, whatever the court decides, I can’t go against it, and I won’t go against it,” Jacobs said.
The court heard that on December 26, Jacobs was on her porch at her home, in conversation with a friend, when the Douglases arrived and sat on a table. Douglas and Jacobs live in separate houses in the same yard.
Jacobs told Douglas that she was having a conversation and asked him to excuse himself. As a result, Douglas jumped on top of the table and began behaving aggressively.
Jacobs had her cellular phone in hand and made a phone call. Douglas pulled the cellular telephone out of Jacobs’s hand and, in doing so, squeezed the fourth finger on her left hand. He then took the phone, slammed it to the ground, and left.
In mitigation, Douglas gave a rambling excuse for his action, telling the court that he had had a history of mental illness, but his last episode was over five years ago. He presented himself as unfairly treated by the other members of his family.
After hearing Douglas’ mitigation, the chief magistrate told Douglas that he thought he would have used the opportunity to apologise to his grandmother.
Douglas then apologised to his grandmother, even as he made excuses for his actions.
The chief magistrate told Douglas that a person’s home is their castle.
“Your grandmother should be allowed to enjoy her home in comfort without disturbance by you. You are a big man; you are 38 years old, and you should not be going there to harass your grandmother.
“I have to ensure that, at least for the next 11 months, your grandmother enjoys some level of comfort without you interfering with her. “I hope that you learn when you are in prison and not repeat that behaviour,” the chief magistrate added.
and then 