It was high drama and laughter in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court last Friday when a man on a wounding with intent and assault charge begged to be sent to prison.

Christopher Sewell tirelessly asked Senior Resident Magistrate Glen Brown to send him to prison, saying he was tired of being in the Half-Way Tree lock-up.

Tired of wait

"Your Honour, mi a beg you, put mi pon trial now, mi waan lef' Half-Way Tree lock-up. I've been here for 10 months now. Do something fi mi, get over the case now, send me go prison," Sewell said.

Sewell is accused of attacking and stabbing a woman. The clerk of the court was about to put off the matter, believing Sewell was not mentally fit to plead, but he stopped her saying he was ready to talk because he is mentally capable and his case has been going on for too long.

"Your Honour, mek mi talk. Mi waan lef' ya so now. Mi tiad a Half-Way Tree lock-up. Just sentence me and done. Mi can talk fi miself. On the first occasion, I pleaded guilty with explanation. Mek mi explain miself, please. You see this woman (the complainant), mi stab har up multiple times.

"Mi see har car outside and mi decide seh mi want it. So wat mi do is go inna har house and hide under har bed and when she come inna di room, mi stab har up, but the police come same time, and mi never get fi tek the car," said Sewell.

Sewell said he hid in a cupboard until the police left the scene and then made his escape.

"Your Honour, mi lef har house and run weh go country go cool out and then little after mi come back to town and go Harbour View. It was in Harbour View that the police them pick me up," he said.

Sewell was sentenced to two years at hard labour, but RM Glen Brown ordered that he be given a psychiatric evaluation.