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Remove violent vagrants off the streets- Concerned citizen

A call has been made by several concerned citizens for Government to remove violent vagrants from the streets of Tortola. Photo: VINO/File
Vagrant Sonnel G. Hanley has been arrested and charged for allegedly slapping a male tourist on September 18, 2016. Photo: VINO/File
Vagrant Sonnel G. Hanley has been arrested and charged for allegedly slapping a male tourist on September 18, 2016. Photo: VINO/File
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI – Several residents have expressed the view that Government should take a stand to permanently remove from the streets of Tortola vagrants who exhibit violent tendencies.

While several persons expressed similar sentiments, Ms Marva U. Vanterpool said this needs to become a topic of discussion for Government. “If a tourist should take this government to court it would be a sad thing but they would be well in their rights to do so because government and the BVIHSA need to take certain actions.”

Ms Vanterpool expressed her opinion after she read on a local news site about an incident allegedly involving Sonnel G. Hanley. Hanley has been arrested and charged for un-provokingly slapping a male tourist on September 18, 2016.

“That is not the first or the second time. I witnessed the incident at Bobby’s and there are other reports of this man slapping people,” said the concerned woman.

Hanley is currently behind bars after appearing in court and being remanded for that most recent incident. During the first quarter of 2013 the same Hanley was charged for common assault. Prior to that, in 2012 he was made to spend six months in jail for a similar offence which amounted to common assault.

“There is no need for psychiatric evaluation of him. The whole of Tortola knows that Sonnel is a vagrant and mad man. Yes, every mad man gets his sane moments but you still got a certificate as a mentally unstable person,” expressed Ms Vanterpool.

Relatives should be held accountable

Another person, who chose not to be named, suggested that a law be passed to make the closest relatives of persons of unsound mind accountable for seeing them institutionalised.

“Family members should be held accountable for their crazy people. Not everything government has to go into their pockets to do. If you can’t afford the cost for getting them in a crazy people home then the government should subsidise at minimum,” said the man.

He added, “I dread the day will come, if Sonnel is not permanently taken off the streets that he is going to seriously injure someone or even kill them because that “@$%^* is very strong.”

The man also alleged there are a number of aggressive beggars and vagrants that frequent the frontage of a popular East End super market and that situation needs to be addressed.

25 Responses to “Remove violent vagrants off the streets- Concerned citizen”

  • DON Q (27/10/2016, 10:25) Like (3) Dislike (20) Reply
    Give him a lil $1.00
    • Tbt (27/10/2016, 11:06) Like (11) Dislike (4) Reply
      HE IS HAPPY FOR THAT..... NOW HE CAN EAT..... I TIREDDDDDD SPEAK ABOUT THIS ISHHHH!!!!!!!!! PROVIDE A PLACE WHERE THESE (VAGRANTS) CAN GO AND GET FOOD TO EAT.... IT DONT HAVE TO BE MUCH, PERSONS CAN ALSO DONATE. THIS IS WHAT THEY DO IN OTHER COUNTRIES.... AND YESSSSSSS THE GOVERNMENT CAN USE THAT MONEY THEY BEEN STEALING :@:@:@:@:@:@:@
  • Well Buddy (27/10/2016, 11:01) Like (0) Dislike (2) Reply
    It's is their family... so yeah.
    • why cant the son help? (27/10/2016, 13:34) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
      This man father is up there by booty under a mango tree making fish pots all day..His father name Gary.
  • A parent speaking (27/10/2016, 11:12) Like (15) Dislike (0) Reply
    Please get this ticking almost 400 pound time bomb off the streets. Prison is not the place for this man, he needs to be placed into a mental facility that can address his needs. Are you waiting for this man to seriously hurt or kill someone or a child walking home from school to really get serious? As it is, I walk with something in my purse because the last time I was walking and he came up to me and said I broke into some supermarket bathroom where he live and thief his money and food. I don't know if this man is playing crazy to get over but, he is going to do damage to someone or someone is going to do damage to him.
    • True (27/10/2016, 12:50) Like (8) Dislike (0) Reply
      @A parent speaking, I agree with you. A couple of years back when I was living in Manhattan, there was this guy that use to do the same thing. He use to terrorize people on the streets hitting, spitting, cursing. The police pick him up take him to jail and let him go. He went down into the subway where a lady was waiting for the train, when the train was pulling into the station, he pushed her into the oncoming train. After he killed her, that is when the City of New York put him away in a Mental Facility.
  • look trouble (27/10/2016, 11:14) Like (13) Dislike (1) Reply
    The man just damm lazy
  • Sickening (27/10/2016, 13:04) Like (3) Dislike (9) Reply
    Does she realize that she is speaking about a human being??? God forbid a relative of hers ever ends up on the street with behaviors such as he displays just for some ignorant, uncompassionate person to say he doesn't need to be evaluated simply because he is a vagrant and a mad man. And what kind of moronic comment is that about tourist suing government because they were assaulted. In what country are the homeless people wards therefore responsibility of the "state". People who feel they are so much better than others just like to hear themselves talk.
    this is not to say I don't feel something should be done as we rely heavily on tourism as well as getting help for these members of society.
  • Agree. (27/10/2016, 13:12) Like (13) Dislike (3) Reply
    Agree. Take them to salt Island. Build them a decent place to dwell. Teach them to farm, fish and raise life stocks..let them be self fed..they may end up also feeding the rest of US. These people got lots of energy and strength. Put them to use ..
    • Really (27/10/2016, 15:42) Like (7) Dislike (0) Reply
      Guess what round them all up and take them up Mc namara by that big concrete wall let Lorna and doc deal with that
  • FREE ADVICE (27/10/2016, 13:30) Like (9) Dislike (0) Reply
    carry he up free bottom by his father so he could learn/assist with the making of fish traps
    • He did (27/10/2016, 22:42) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
      His dad done tried that an the out come wasn't the best, Sonnel was a slim handsome young man but he got to relax an lazy in his ass an when ppl started giving him money an such he felt it could work an he stuck with it, cause he knows what trees to act up around
  • 123 (27/10/2016, 13:38) Like (10) Dislike (1) Reply
    He just need licks
  • freedom (27/10/2016, 14:31) Like (1) Dislike (12) Reply
    free the man he has mental issues
  • WHERE IS SHE NOW? (27/10/2016, 17:31) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    I KNOW FOR A FACT THAT THIS GUY VOTED FOR THE SHORT LADY WITH THE BAG
  • bojan (27/10/2016, 20:15) Like (3) Dislike (2) Reply
    You think he crazy not one sh** I told him your father may be afraid of you because he punch out his father teeth its a good beathing he needs now he past me now never beg me for nothing I told him I see one hand man work one foot man work so keep out my way and for sure he don't mess with me.
  • wize up (28/10/2016, 01:01) Like (0) Dislike (1) Reply
    I find when it come to certain people the solution is time in the jail house while some of us are given financial support
  • de silent one (28/10/2016, 11:53) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    This guy need to be permanently remove from the streets, he constantly attacks tourist when he don't get his way, such behavior are going to hurt the industry. Or he's going to hit the wrong person and they will do something real serious to him. He needs to be dealt with before it get to that.
  • Honestly (28/10/2016, 14:09) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    I think he is running games. I once heard someone said, once you play the crazy game, it makes people fear you.
    I agree they should relocate the vagrants to salt Island and let them work the land for food and a place to live.
  • BLAME GOVERNMENT! (28/10/2016, 15:06) Like (2) Dislike (1) Reply
    START ISSUING WORK PERMITS FOR PERSONS SKILLED IN HANDLING THESE NUT JOBS AND BUILD A WARD FOR THEM ON ONE OF THE MANY ISLANDS OF THE BVI...AWAY FROM THE CIVILISED COMMUNITY...moomoos
  • 284 (29/10/2016, 20:40) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Too much beggars in front of Fine Foods. I can't go in there ever without someone asking for something. My pockets hurtin too. I jus don't look or act like it.
  • Go (31/10/2016, 16:41) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    They definitely need to keep Sonnel off the streets and do something with him. He is way to violent. He is the WORST I HAVE EVER SEEN AROUND HERE
  • please (31/10/2016, 16:49) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Please take Sonnel away. Am a small female. I've already had one encounter with him and am very fraid of him. I hope I never have another one.


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