Stone thrower fined $50,000 for wounding

Wednesday, December 17, 2014 | 9:56 AM    

ST CATHERINE, Jamaica — A woman, who pleaded guilty to hitting another with a stone, was slapped with a $50,000 fine when she appeared in the Spanish Town Resident Magistrate Court.

Tisa McPherson was sentenced Tuesday after pleading guilty to a charge of unlawful wounding.

Allegations are that on December 7 the complainant was on her way home when an argument developed with the accused. A stone was used to hit the complainant.

The court was not told the reason for the argument or the location where the incident occurred.

McPherson is to serve six months behind bars if the fine isn’t paid.

Racquel Porter

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Stone thrower fined $50,000 for wounding

The Vere Technical family bids farewell to phenomenal coach Paul Stone

PAUL Andrew Stone, the 63-year-old retired track and field athletics coach of Vere Technical High School, was last month hailed as a phenomenal coach whose efforts produced numerous female athletes and hurdlers who excelled in many events under his guidance.

Stone, who served as coach for the school for the last three decades, died on July 12.A thanksgiving service celebrating his life was held on July 27 at the Christ Church located at Vineyard Town in Kingston.The service began with musical tributes from Harold Davis, Maria Myrie, Carole Reid, Marjorie Whylie and Winston Ewart.According to Stone’s former colleague Dr Paul Auden, while he served Vere Technical, Stone was a phenomenal coach by nature with no formal training.“This was a man with no coaching degree, but an excellent coach. He coached about 25 events at Vere. How did Paul come into sporting? He just loved sports. He never went to any top university for training,” Auden said.“The one thing that struck me when I went to Vere, was to see some girls from the wrong side of the streets, they had no future and Paul Stone got them to go to Vere. Paul was their father figure and showed them a better life,” Auden added.He reflected on the good times they both shared while monitoring the development of the athletes at Vere Technical High.“He was the nickname master at Vere. With the girls, he watched how they performed and gave each a nickname,” he said in a bid to cheer the silent mourners who gathered to celebrate Stone’s life.John Messam, who was appointed coach for Vere Technical immediately after Stone’s departure, also paid tribute to Stone’s immeasurable contribution to the sport.Messam said it was Stone and his selfless investment that assisted him in managing the hurdles coaching tactics he inherited from him.Stone’s sister, Ann Martin, who delivered the remembrance, said she mourned the loss of one of her best friends.“As far as I can remember, I was Paul’s best friend, sister and all that you can think of. We did everything together. Paul was someone who liked great and exciting things in his young years,” she said.After sitting the Common Entrance Examinations, Stone was awarded a place at Cornwall College, which he attended before relocating to Kingston and attending Wolmer’s Boy’s School. After his secondary education was complete, he migrated to the United States of America and entered the field of trade unionism.He later returned to Jamaica and worked in the field of trade unionism before becoming an entrepreneur, the joined the family at Vere Technical and served as their coach before his retirement.Under his leadership at Vere Technical, he coached Olympians from Vere Technical such as athlete Ethlyn Tate and hurdler Sophia Brown.He was also remembered for seeking academic opportunities and scholarships for the individuals he trained, as he believed in the combination of education and track and field.His death leaves a void in the lives of his wife Cherrin, sons Pierre, Paul, Paul-Anthony, Bobby, David and Chris, and daughter Peytra, and other relatives.His remains were cremated.Cherrin Stone, widow of the late Paul Stone, hands the urn with his ashes to the officiating priest, The Reverend Father Sean Major-Campbell.Ann Martin, sister of the late Paul Stone, offered the remembrance at the service celebrating his life last month.John Messam, who was appointed coach for Vere Technical High School after Paul Stone’s departure.Dr Paul Auden, former colleague of the late Paul Stone, offering a tribute to his close friend. (PHOTOS: GARFIELD ROBINSON)

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The Vere Technical family bids farewell to phenomenal coach Paul Stone

Killer Stone to serve rest of term

29 July 2013 Last updated at 06:29 ET Michael Stone being restrained during the attack at Stormont in November 2006 The Court of Appeal has ruled that loyalist killer Michael Stone must serve the rest of his prison term for the 1988 Milltown Cemetery attack.

Stone had served 12 years of his 30-year sentence for the three murders at Milltown and three other sectarian killings.

He had been released on licence as part of the Good Friday Agreement.

However, he was jailed again for trying to kill Sinn Fein leaders at Stormont in November 2006.

Stone was jailed for 16 years for the attempted murders of Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness and other offences including possessing explosives.

The convicted killer had claimed to have been engaged in an act of performance art when he went to Stormont on the day Ian Paisley and Mr McGuinness were due to be nominated as Northern Ireland’s first and deputy first ministers.

He was armed with knives, an axe, garrotte and a flight bag containing explosive fireworks, flammable liquids, a butane gas canister and fuses.

Stone, who suffers from hereditary motor neuropathy, was overpowered after trying to ignite the bag and throw it into the main foyer.

In 1988, Stone launched a gun and grenade attack on the Belfast funeral of three IRA members shot dead by British special forces in Gibraltar.

Three mourners – Thomas McErlean, John Murray and Kevin Brady – were killed and more than 50 injured.

Stone was also convicted of the murders of three other Catholic men – Patrick Brady, Kevin McPolin and Dermot Hackett – between 1984 and 1987.

Monday’s Appeal Court decision means the 58-year-old may not even be considered for release until 2024.

Speaking in the court, Lord Chief Justice Sir Declan Morgan said of the murders: “There are serious aggravating factors. The effects on victims will live with them forever.

“The learned trial judge recommended a minimum term of 30 years before he should be considered for release and I agree. The appropriate minimum term in this case should be 30 years.”

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Killer Stone to serve rest of term