Embattled model 23-year-old Yugge Farrell is soon to return to the Kingstown Magistrate Court for trial for
allegedly using insulting language to finance minister Camillo Gonsalves’ wife, Karen, calling her “you dirty b..ch”
on January 4th, 2018.
Senior Magistrate Rickie Burnett adjourned hearing of the matter on January 29th, 2018, when Farrell reappeared before him for the second time in the month, having been sent to the Mental Health Centre on two separate
occasions that month for psychiatric evaluation.
The Vincentian model gained national attention in January after she appeared first before then presiding magistrate
Bertie Pompey on January 5th and was committed to the Mental Health Centre for 14 days observation on a
request by prosecutor constable Corlene Samuel after she pleaded not guilty to the charge. No ground or basis
was established in court to support the request for psychiatric evaluation.
Lawyer Grant Connell objected strenuously but all to no avail.
Farrell, having spent 17 days at the mental asylum, returned to court on January 22nd, 2018, before Senior
Magistrate Burnett who was newly appointed and began sitting at that court.
Burnett sent her back the Mental Health Centre for further 7 days observation. When she returned to court on
January 29th, a psychiatric report said she was fit to plea. Burnett then adjourned the trial to December 17th, 2018.
Farrell is also being represented by Barbadian Andrew Pilgrim QC.
Farrell’s committal to the mental asylum by magistrate Pompey in the manner in which it was done on January 5th
sparked public outrage. Many alleged that it was politically influenced, Karen being the wife of finance minister
Camillo Gonsalves who is son of Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves. But even as some defended her and criticized magistrate Pompey for his action, there were also those who said she has a history of mental issues and
defended the judicial procedure.
Prime Minister Gonsalves, a lawyer, having told his son to maintain a “dignified silence,” told reporters that a magistrate can decide to commit someone to the psychiatric hospital for observation based on information that the prosecutors give to the magistrate outside of the court proceedings and which is not disclosed to either the defendant or lawyer
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