Community service for hitting boy

PHILIPSBURG – The Court in First Instance sentenced Secell Daniel Common on Wednesday afternoon to  120 hours of community service for hitting the 13-year old son Jeremiah of his neighbor, who happens to be a warden at the Point Blanche prison.

Of the sentence, 60 hours are conditional, and common received a reduction of 4 hours on the remaining community service for the two days he spent behind bars after the incident that took place on April 16.

The public prosecutor noted that the 37-year old defendant had confessed that he had hit the boy on his head with an open hand. Common had also threatened to kill the boy; though he denied it, the prosecutor considered this charge proven as well.

“The victim is 13 and the defendant is 37,” the prosecutor pointed out. “He was also under the influence of alcohol. This was awful and cowardly.”

According to a report from the probation office, the defendant regretted what had happened. “But I do not see those regrets today,” the prosecutor said.

The advise to the court was to impose supervision by and mandatory reporting to the probation office. The prosecutor demanded 120 hours of community service, with 60 hours suspended and 2 years of probation. The prosecutor also asked the court to oblige the defendant to abide by instructions from the probation office.

The defendant disagreed: “This demand is wrong. I am not that kind of person,’ he said.

But the court considered the prosecutor’s demand reasonable and sentenced Common accordingly. Common is not allowed to have any contact with Jeremiah for a period of two years.