Ambulance called after defendant falls sick

A contract worker left Magistrates' Court by ambulance on Tuesday after throwing up uncontrollably in the court precincts. He later underwent surgery at hospital.

Earlier, Christopher Cooper, 46, of Fairmont Drive, Southampton, pleaded not guilty to driving while impaired on South Shore Road, Paget on March 12.

Cooper - whose neck was in a brace on Tuesday - also denied refusing to take a breathalyser test and using offensive words at the same date and time.

He is alleged to have said: “If I were in Police custody I would f***ing boot you in the head. I am going to sue you guys. By the time I am through with you I will own a three acre house in your f***ing country.”

However, Cooper told Senior Magistrate Archibald Warner he did not remember what he said.

“I don't recall,” Cooper said. “I was in the emergency room getting pumped full of morphine.”

Cooper said he worked at C&N Contracting and Consulting.

“I just received a new permit last week,” Cooper said. “I received it for another year.”

Mr. Warner granted Cooper $1,000 bail to appear for trial on May 19. However, before he signed his bail form, Cooper left the court and started gagging uncontrollably in the corridor outside Court Number One. At 10.54 a.m. an ambulance left court to take Cooper to King Edward VII Memorial Hospital (KEMH).

A hospital spokeswoman said on Tuesday night Cooper was still undergoing surgery at the KEMH emergency room.

On Wednesday, KEMH said Cooper was in a stable condition on a general ward. It was not known what the full extent of Cooper's health problems were or whether they were connected with the alleged drunk driving incident weeks ago.

Women tried to steal deodorants from store

Two women appeared in Magistrates' Court after trying to steal deodorants from a store. On March 4 Brendie Harrison, of Fentons Drive, Pembroke, and Keisha Housen, of Richmond Road, Pembroke, each took a stick of Mitchum deodorant from Arnold's Express.

A store manager watched as they left the premises with the stolen items and followed them outside. He informed the women that they would have to pay for the items and then called the Police.

Harrison, 38, and Housen, 30, both apologised and received an absolute discharge from Senior Magistrate Archibald Warner.