The Tribune

By KEILE CAMPBELL

Tribune Staff Reporter

kcampbell@tribunemedia.net

TWO American tourists were given conditional discharges after admitting assaulting a security and a police officer during an incident while on vacation in The Bahamas.

Daniel Morino and Sahida Morino, both American citizens, appeared before Magistrate Shaka Serville charged with multiple offences arising from the incident.

Mr Morino pleaded guilty to assault and resisting arrest, while Sahida Morino pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice and assaulting a police officer.

Addressing the court, Mr Morino said he had been intoxicated and did not realise he was being arrested. He said he did not know the person who intervened between him and his sister was a police officer because the officer was in plain clothes.

Despite that explanation, Mr Morino maintained his guilty pleas.

Ms Marino told the court she intervened because she believed someone was attacking her brother. She also said she had been intoxicated.

The court heard the pair had been on a family vacation and had consumed alcohol after receiving an unlimited drinks package.

The magistrate observed, asked on the two's accounts, that the siblings had initially been involved in a scuffle with each other before turning their attention to a person who attempted to intervene.

The court was told neither defendant had previous convictions in the jurisdiction.

Responding to the explanation about the unlimited drinks package, Magistrate Serville remarked that if the court had "a dollar every time" it heard that explanation, "there would be no need to come into work".

He added that the pair were not the first tourists to appear before the court after receiving such a package.

Taking into account their early guilty pleas, explanations and lack of previous convictions in the jurisdiction, Magistrate Serville granted both defendants conditional discharges.

Mr Morino was ordered to pay $250 in compensation to the security officer as a condition of his discharge.

Ms Morino was ordered to pay $500 to the police officer as what the magistrate described as a tangible gesture of remorse, along with $250 in compensation to the security officer.

The court heard the US Embassy would assist in ensuring the conditions of the discharges are met, with the prosecutor indicating arrangements would be made with embassy officials.