Devon Evans, Gleaner Writer

Giscombe

ST. ANN'S BAY, St. Ann:

Mayor of St. Ann's Bay, Delroy Giscombe, was freed of criminal charges yesterday during a special sitting of the Gun Court held at the St. Ann's Bay Courthouse.

Mayor Giscombe was freed after trial judge Justice Paulette Williams upheld a no-case submission put forward by defence attorney Ernest Smith.

Mayor Giscombe, a member of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), was charged with illegal possession of firearm and assault occasioning bodily harm arising out of an incident in Bamboo, St. Ann, in December last year.

Taxi operator threatened

It was alleged that Giscombe used his firearm to hit and threaten taxi operator Donald Hurd during the incident, which took place at the home of Hurd's estranged wife in Bamboo, where the mayor was at the time.

The trial began on Thursday and the court heard evidence from both the complainant, Mr. Hurd, and the investigating officer.

When the in-camera trial resumed yesterday, Mr. Smith presented a no-case submission which the judge accepted.

An elated Mr. Smith told The Gleaner that, from the onset, there was no case against Mr. Giscombe and that the matter was clearly a waste of the court's time.

Mr. Smith, who is also the Member of Parliament for South West, St. Ann, said he was happy the mayor was now able to continue the good work he has been doing for the people of St. Ann.

Mayor Giscombe took leave of office as both mayor and chairman of the St. Ann Parish Council after the charges were slapped on him last month. He reportedly resumed official duties immediately following his acquittal.

Meanwhile, all is not yet over for the complainant, Mr. Hurd, as he is expected to face charges of assault and malicious destruction of property in the St. Ann Resident Magistrate's Court later this month, arising out of the December incident in Bamboo.

On Thursday, JLP Member of Parliament for North West St. Elizabeth, J.C. Hutchinson, who was facing charges of disorderly conduct, resisting arrest and breaches of the Solid Waste Management Act, had the case against him dismissed.