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by pltm
(PLTM) - Young Mervin Flaharty Jr, 18, who is before the court for charges of criminal damage and disorderly conduct, is blaming his actions on the extent of his love for his girlfriend.
Flaharty made an appearance before Senior Magistrate Tamia Richards yesterday, May 30, when he pleaded guilty to both charges.
Allegedly, the accused, who is originally from New Jersey, but now resides in Macnamara, got into an altercation with his girlfriend’s ex-boyfriend, Mr. Marlon Choucoutou.
Crown Counsel Herbert Potter disclosed that on May 27, 2017, Choucoutou visited the Road Town Police Station to make a report on the accused, who allegedly threatened him.
In the middle of making that report, the accused reportedly stormed into the station, approached Choucotou and began cursing and threatening him again.
“Is you got me feeling this way. You ****** ***** got me catching feelings,” Flaharty reportedly said at the station.
In rage, he then took a swing at the station’s glass door, shattering it, and badly injuring his hand in the process.
Under police questioning, he allegedly said, “Is a woman got me doing this.”
Meanwhile, the accused, during mitigation, told the court that his actions were a reaction to Choucoutou’s behavior towards him, adding, “Me and his child mother together and he don’t like it.”
He said that Choucoutou threatened him multiple times in the past.
He told the court that on the day in question, he visited the station to make a report, but saw Choucoutou already there.
“I didn’t know he was there. He had his daughter, who I care a lot about. He threaten to kill me. He came up in my face and I in his.”
He stated that in an effort to defuse the squabble, he punched the door.
“I couldn’t hit him, he had his daughter, so I just turned around and hit the glass.”
Flaharty also informed the court the he has an anger issue that he is working on.
“I didn’t hit him, I hit the glass. I had a rough childhood that continues to affect me.”
He was offered bail in the sum of $45,000 signed surety, and was also ordered to attend family counselling at the Family Support Network.
He will make another appearance on July 11 for sentencing.
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