Five plead guilty assaulting World Javelin Champ

FIVE OF THE SIX TRINIDADIANS ACCUSED OF RECENTLY ASSAULTING TWO-TIME WORLD JAVELIN CHAMPION, GRENADIAN ANDERSON PETERS, pleaded guilty Monday in a St Georges, Grenada magistrate court.

The six: John Alexander, 55; Deckhand of Arima; Mikhail John, 35, Sailor of San Juan; Noel Cooper, 42, Captain of Gurpe; Lance Wiggins, 45, Sailor of Cocorite; and Sheon Jack, 28, Sailor of Cocorite were all charged with one count each of grievous harm and stealing.

Five of the accused, Alexander, John, Cooper, Wiggins and Jack were also charged with causing harm to Kiddon Peters, the brother of the global athletic star.

Alexander, Deckhand, John, Cooper and Jack pleaded guilty to the charges when they appeared before Chief Magistrate, Teddy St Louis, and were remanded to prison awaiting sentencing on Wednesday. However, the prosecution offered no evidence against Wiggins.

Abiola Benjamin, 40, Operations Manager/ Police Officer of Maravel, the lone female linked to the attack on Peters aboard the vessel ‘Harbour Master’ which left with injuries, was also charged with assault on the javelin champion.

The world-class athlete commented publicly for the time on the joint hostility from the group he endured and survived.

“To everyone who lent a hand and even risked their own safety on the night of the incident, thank you for all that you did. I especially thank my parents and family, my coach, my bank family, my club sand my sports family for the outpouring of support. Thank you for praying, sending well wishes and for reaching out in many ways to provide support,” the star athlete stressed in his statement.

He hopes that the incident energises the public to anticipate more positive days ahead.

“Thank you for praying, sending well wishes and for reaching out in many ways to provide support. My family and I appreciate all of this and in some sense, this energises us to be hopeful for better days to come,” the world Champion said.

The case resumes Wednesday.