TROY Yhap (no address given) was fined $30,000 and put on a one year bond yesterday, for threatening and verbally abusing his girlfriend. He appeared before Magistrate Hazel Octive-Hamilton and pleaded guilty to the charges, which stated that, on February 19, he threatened Joan Patrick, causing a breach of the peace and used abusive language to her.
Police Sergeant Gordon Mansfield, prosecuting, said the defendant is Patrick’s boyfriend and, that day, she was in a gathering at Brickdam Cathedral in Georgetown when he went there and rang the church bell, disturbing the proceedings.
The priest spoke to him but he became annoyed and started to abuse his girlfriend, telling her she should be at work instead in church and threatened to beat her with his helmet, the prosecutor said.
Before imposing penalty, the magistrate reminded Yhap that there is freedom of religion in this country and he should not be threatening and abusing his girlfriend because she went to church.
The magistrate warned the probationer that, if he ever appears in court, again, he will be sent to jail.