A man and a woman who attempted to scare a prosecution witness from giving evidence in a Grand Court assault trial have been found guilty of attempting to pervert the course of justice.
The charges stem from a set of phone calls that were made by Janelle Lavern Greenwood to the prosecution witness and a series of visits to her home by Roger Patrick McLaughlin, over a course of days leading up to and on the eve of Greenwood’s trial in October last year.
The intimidation attempts failed, and Greenwood was tried on a single count of assault. The witness, who was a victim of that crime, gave evidence at the trial, helping to secure Greenwood’s conviction.
Following the conviction, she and McLaughlin were tried on the intimidation charges – where the witness gave evidence again.
“I accept [the witness’s] evidence as true and credible,” said Justice Marva McDonald-Bishop when handing down her judgment.
The intimidation began on 8 Oct. 2022, two days before the trial was due to begin, when Greenwood called the witness and told her that if she gave evidence “she would not like it”.
“When these threats failed, you then called her the following day and pleaded with her not to give evidence as you were both mothers, and to think of the impact it would have on your family,” said McDonald-Bishop.
When the threats and emotional ploys failed, Greenwood is said to have then enlisted the help of McLaughlin, who posed as an attorney – with the sole purpose of telling the witness how to answer the questions in the assault trial.
“You attended [her] home three times on the 9th October, the day before the trial,” said the judge, when directing her attention to McLaughlin. “When she would not meet with you, you told [a person in the house] that she if she gave evidence, then her immigration status on island would be in trouble.”
She added, “During the trial you said that you were referring to Ms Greenwood’s immigration status, but I do not accept this. I believe that you were clearly trying to scare [the witness] into meeting with you by alluding that her immigration status would be in trouble.”
Greenwood and McLaughlin were jointly charged with a count of conspiracy to obstruct the course of justice for which they were convicted.
They also each faced a single count of attempting to obstruct the course of justice for which they were also convicted.
Following their convictions, both defendants were released on bail until their sentencing in February next year.
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