A Smith's Parish man who suffered burns on most of his body is showing a glimmer of hope for recovery.

Carlton Perinchief was last night described as being in a critical but stable condition in the Bayview burns unit at Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, Maryland.

Mr. Perinchief, 37, suffered serious burns after a gas stove explosion at his Crest View Road apartment on August 16.

He was taken to King Edward V11 Memorial Hospital and later transferred to the US after the seriousness of his injuries were established.

A Police probe into the incident is on-going and Mr. Perinchief's girlfriend, who was at the residence at the time, has been interviewed as part of the investigation.

TEEN ASSAULTED MOTHER CTS Teen assaulted mother A teenager who assaulted his mother is to receive counselling as part of his sentence.

Callan Eugene Herbert, 19, pleaded guilty to unlawfully assaulting Frances Lilette Herbert during a domestic incident.

Herbert, of Lime House Lane, Hamilton Parish, also admitted causing wilful damage during the incident and a separate charge of breaching a court order.

He also pleaded guilty to receiving a stolen Yamaha motorcycle. Three separate charges of stealing and receiving were dismissed.

Senior Magistrate Will Francis sentenced Herbert to two years probation for all counts and 60 hours community service for receiving the stolen motorcycle.

He ordered him to attend counselling, to be decided by the Probation Services, and to abide by a curfew between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m.

Mr. Francis said Herbert had spent a period in the Co-ed facility at Ferry Reach, and he hoped he had come out of the centre "more honest where people's property is concerned''.

DRIVER TAKEN OFF ROAD CTS Driver taken off road A 32-year-old Pembroke man pleaded with a Magistrate after being taken off the road for drunk driving.

Nathan Vimala, of Happy Valley Road, pleaded guilty in Magistrates' Court yesterday.

Crown counsel Charmaine Smith said Vimala was involved in a car accident on Crow Lane on July 27, 1998 around 9.40 p.m.

When Police questioned him about the accident, they noticed he appeared to be drunk.

He was taken to the Hamilton Police station and gave two breath samples. The lowest reading was 146 milligrams of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood. The legal limit is 80 milligrams of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood.

Mrs. Smith told Senior Magistrate Will Francis the other person involved in the accident suffered a broken leg and was unable to work for the rest of the summer or return to school.

Mr. Francis fined Vimala $500 and disqualified him from all vehicles for 12 months.

When Vimala asked Mr. Francis to allow him to ride an auxiliary cycle to travel to work, Mr. Francis responded: "I have to take you off the road as a matter of law -- the law is very clear.'' DIVORCES GRANTED DIV Divorces granted The following divorce decree nisi were granted recently at the Supreme Court between: Shirley Ann C. P. Simons-Hayward and Derek Maurice Hayward; Quinita Sybil Forbes and Damian George Forbes; Jennifer Ruth Keegan and Kenneth Paul Keegan; Donna Ann Taylor and Mark Anthony Taylor; Nikeisha Fredericka Angelique Simons and Wade Randall Simons; Frederick O'Neill Lottimore and Karen-Ann Lottimore; and Eulamae Marvina Raynor and Tyrone Macdonald Raynor; Cecil Leonard Williams and Astoria Ismay Williams; John Joseph Gallo III and Jennifer Joan Gallo; Mia Maria Burgess and Calvin Lloyd Burgess Jr.; Cindy Maxine Charmaine Brown and David Brown; Heather Dill and Edward Allan Dill; Selina Dawn Raney and Charles Raney Jr.; Antonio Manuel Simao Ferreira Moniz and Jeane Da Silva Moniz; and Nina Nicole Dias and Andrew Gordon Hathway Dias.