A man and a woman accused of breaching Cayman’s COVID-19 quarantine regulations, by eating lunch too closely together while the man was quarantining at his home, have both entered guilty pleas before the Summary Court.
Appearing before Magistrate Phillipa McFarlane on Tuesday, 21 June, Craig Wilson Author and Leslie Esmera Bodden Lucas each pleaded guilty to a single count of failing to comply with COVID-19 regulations.
The charges alleged that Author allowed Bodden Lucas to visit his Red Bay home during a time when it was designated as a quarantine address, and that Bodden Lucas, knowing this fact, still visited the location.
According to court documents, Author and Bodden Lucas were a couple, and she brought him lunch on 27 Aug. 2021 while he was in mandatory quarantine after having recently returned to Cayman.
“She then returned to her vehicle to retrieve hers and proceeded to sit on the other side of the porch to have her lunch,” reads a police report attached to the court documents. The documents state the Bodden Lucas was approximately 20 feet away from Author and spent 15 minutes at the location.
When Public Health officials visited the location, they observed that Lucas Bodden was not wearing a mask.
The couple are represented by attorney James Stenning who had previously told the court he had written to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions to review the file.
“Despite lengthy written representations, the prosecution is of the view that they will be proceeding with the charge,” Stenning told the court.
On a previous occasion, he told the court that there was a very narrow legal issue which was in dispute. However, he did not provide any additional information in open court.
Following the guilty pleas, Stenning asked that the defendants be given three weeks to gather references ahead of a sentencing on 11 July.
Both defendants were released on bail.
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I am simply speechless. This is a horrifying and unforgivable breach of quarantine by this romantic couple. Have they no sense of decency?
I hope the judiciary gives them the maximum sentence possible. They each deserve what they have coming.
And as for the brave soul who summoned the courage to report this most dastardly crime, they ought to be recognized and celebrated for their heroism. My pride in humanity has been restored. If they are reading these comments, I would like this Comrade to know they have served their country well.
I have no words for this insanity .
If that is ALL they did this case should never have been bought.
This is nonsense bringing this case to court.