NEW Amsterdam Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs-Marcus has placed juice vendor Leon Haynes, 39, of King Street, New Amsterdam, on $20,000 bail for allegedly slapping a school child after accusing the child of stealing some of his fruit juices.

A probation report on the defendant is expected to be tendered on November 11.
Police Sergeant Phillip Sherrif, prosecuting, said the incident occurred at the All Saints Primary School Ground, where Haynes was selling various juices. Some of his juices were stolen, but he did not see who had stolen them. However, 11-year-old Wilden Felix was then in close proximity to the stall; and when Haynes saw the child, he accused him of theft and reportedly slapped him in the face, resulting in the child being injured.
In his defence, Haynes said he had left his juices overnight in a cool down cart preparatory to doing business at a football game; but on his return to the school compound, the security guard told him that school children were seen consuming his juices, worth $4000.
“I saw the complainant with other boys, (and) I scrambled him and give him a (slap),” Haynes told the court.