Suspended sentence for obstruction

A Port St Mary woman who obstructed police officers investigating a man's death has been given a suspended prison sentence.

Twenty-four year-old Jolene Agnes Bunce, of Seafield Avenue admitted the offence, which related to the death of John Nicholas Callister.

She was given a four month sentence, suspended for twelve months by Deemster Doyle at a Court of General Gaol.

Jane Hughes, prosecuting, said Mr Callister died from a stab wound at around 3am on June 25 last year, at a house in Watterson Lane, Port St Mary.

Evidence showed that at around 9pm the previous evening there had been an argument involving Mr Callister and a woman outside a house in Watterson Lane. The argument was witnessed by Bunce and a nine year-old child.

The court heard the child was taken to another house where Bunce told him he was not to tell the police what he had seen and heard.

Bunce was was originally charged with committing an act against public justice which she denied.

Her advocate said the obstruction was at the lower end of the scale as she was in turmoil and confused at the time, and the child was upset and agitated. She accepted now that what she did was wrong and was very remorseful.

However, Deemster Doyle said to obstruct police in the execution of their duty was very serious, and the defendant had directed a witness to withold information for an incident involving the death of another human being.

He warned her that if she committed another offence during the time of the suspended sentence she was likely to go to prison.

(Picture: Douglas courthouse).