UPDATE: Homeless man in slapping incident charged & released
Hanley was charged with common assault and released on March 27, 2013 following his arrest two days earlier for being involved in an incident where a Spanish speaking woman was allegedly slapped in an ‘unprovoked’ incident near Bobby’s supermarket.
Speaking with this news site, Sgt Carl Mason of the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force (RVIPF) said that, “[Hanley] was charged with common assault and he will be appearing in court at a date to be set.”
When asked how he would be summoned to court given the fact that he had no fixed place of abode, Sgt Mason said he had no idea how this would be done. “The problem we have,” Sgt Mason said, “is we can’t keep him for more than 24 hours in custody so we have to let him go.”
Though he expressed an awareness of questions surrounding Hanley’s mental state, Sgt Mason could not offer a comment on whether any psychiatric evaluation was done on the man while he was being detained.
See previous story posted March 27, 2013:
UPDATE: 'Slapping of woman' highlighted as 'serious' at CGB meeting
-Adina Donovan home air-marked as psychiatric facility
CANE GARDEN BAY, Tortola, VI – Persons attending the community meeting at the Cane Garden Bay Community Centre on March 25, 2013 expressed disgust and serious concerns about the growing population of homeless persons in the Virgin Islands as they condemned the recent attack on a woman by a man said to be of unsound mind.
This incident was first and accurately reported by Virgin Islands News Online on March 25, 2013 and was later confirmed by the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force (RVIPF) who said the man was taken into custody.
“Eggie, what are we doing about people like eggie just look how he slap up that Spanish woman until her face was swollen. We got to address the issue of these, people, because everyday it’s getting worse,” said a concerned resident at the Cane Garden Bay leg of the Premier’s ‘On the Road’ community meeting. His statement was obviously supported by many others at the meeting as the room went up with supportive cheers and remarks.
This concern was responded to by Minister for Health and Social Development Hon. Ronnie W. Skelton who said Government has its eye on the existing Adina Donovan Home as a possible facility to house persons of unsound mind. He told residents that while finances are a matter of concern, Government intends to convert the building into a psychiatric home. This would be after the seniors’ resident would have been relocated to the new facility that is presently under construction at Spooner's Estate.
“We are living in some difficult times when money is becoming difficult and our systems, our economical systems that we have are constantly under threat so we have to be prudent and careful in how we go about doing some of these things. But we are hoping, and it is our plan, that before our term is up, the old Adina Donovan’s home will be turned into a psychiatric hospital for people who are mentally challenged,” said Hon. Skelton.
The resident suggested, “Supposed he had killed that little Spanish girl? What would have happened there? That is just one of the things I am concerned about,” said the resident.
Derelict vehicles
It was the same resident who spoke passionately about the need to rid the Territory, especially the East End area, of derelict vehicles. He singled out East End since, according to him, it’s the first place that persons see on arriving in the Territory via the Terrence B. Lettsome International Airport.
“I think that’s what we should consider talking about, making the place clean. As Ministers I am charging you to put this on your mandatory list, not just the health insurance but put the priority on the country and making it clean.” He added, “I think if you have a clean community we’ll have less insurance to worry about.”
Hon. Skelton said Government has engaged the services of one Mr Cliff Williams to crush derelict vehicles in a bid to riding the country of such. “It is our job at the Ministry of Health to get rid of these things.”
See previous article posted on March 25, 2013
UPDATE: Homeless man arrested in assault incident
- accused of slapping female when she allegedly refused to buy him a drink
Police have confirmed that a suspect has been arrested and is awaiting charges in the alleged assault matter that occurred earlier today, March 25, 2013 in the vicinity of Bobby's Supermarket.
According to a release sent by the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force (RVIPF), Officers were actually on their way to the scene of the report and met a male answering the description of the alleged offender nearby.
The release further stated that the male, a local homeless individual who is known to Officers, was immediately arrested and removed to Road Town Police Station where he currently awaits charges.
Other Officers then made their way to the victim and took her promptly to hospital for treatment. Officers will be interviewing and offering support to the victim; the alleged offender remains in custody.
See previous story posted March 25, 2013:
Woman reportedly assaulted by homeless man outside of Bobby’s
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI – Several sources have confirmed being witness to a woman being attacked by a homeless man outside of Bobby’s Supermarket in Road Town earlier today, March 25, 2013.
One witness, Mr Steve Parillon, said he was in the vicinity when he heard what appeared to be the sound of a slap that grabbed his attention. “When I got to the scene,” Parillon said, “the woman was there crying, holding her face so I called 911…”
Parillon further stated when he was directed to the Police and explained the situation, he was asked whether the victim was white or black and also whether it was a tourist who had been assaulted.
He related that he was disturbed by the line of questioning and wondered whether this was standard procedure.
Parillon expressed that it took a further half hour after he reported the matter before Police had finally arrived to investigate, by which time the homeless man had long made good his escape.
The woman was reportedly taken to Peebles Hospital for treatment.
According to another source who is a cashier and reportedly witnessed the entire event, she was with a customer at the time when she first heard the noise. “When I looked back, it’s this crazy guy, this insane guy…” the eyewitness said.
According to the eyewitness, the young lady was asked to buy the homeless man a bottle of water but kept walking along since she did not understand the man as she was Spanish speaking and couldn’t speak English too well. SHe also disclosed that there were three homeless men in the adjacent parking lot causing trouble on the previous day and her boss had reported them to no avail.
The man reportedly kept slapping the woman and even slapped her earring off during the process and caused her face to be swollen.
The alleged perpetrator is reported to be a repeat offender of such incidents and has been reported previously, according to sources.
Ag. Public Relations Officer Sgt Carl Mason of the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force could not be reached up to post time for information on the matter.
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51 Responses to “UPDATE: Homeless man in slapping incident charged & released ”
and it seems like the popo care more about the popo. they were to treat this evenly as they would have a tourist. we in a sad state here boy...
I PRINT MY NAME SO AYO CAN SEE WHO POST THIS COMMENT.WHY THE @#$%^ SONNEL SONT COME SLAP ME WHEN I DONT GIVE HIM MONEY! I BET ILL BE THE LAST PERSON HE SLAP! A HOG KNOW WHERE TO ROOT HIS MOUTH!!
I've a storied history with this clown, from the time we was in school together to when he first set out on this path he so brazenly on now. He attacks people who he know aren't going to do him any harm. Women, meek tourists and smaller guys. He got enough sense to not slap off any of the bulging Mr Olympia looking muscle dudes, white or black coming off them cruise ships or any of the sturdy dudes that does roll off 'em either. He'd quicker slap a pensioner or your stereotypical 'whitebread' looking guy who ain't prone to violence.
He was at sandy lane for 2 days before he left on his own and as you can see he only looking this sort of attention to go back up the jail for food. But mark my words, one day he going hit the wrong person and on that day he going to get the full blow he deserved 10fold. I hope it ain't me. I don't think I'd be able to properly restrain myself in the heat of the moment from seriously damaging this repeat offending fool. Ya'll be safe, please, cuz the government ain't studying we wid him.
I am afraid the days of politicians doing thankless work for the good of their country and countrymen are longggg gone. These days, they in it for the "thanks" they get, and they get plenty!
The families of the homeless people don't look like they care about them so line them all up and shoo.. them