A resident of Eden Lodge, St. Michael has entered a not guilty plea to two criminal counts alleging he endangered two people’s lives and damaged personal property, with his high-profile trial set to get underway at the start of next year.
Lee Anderson Thompson, who lives on Austin Drive in the district, was formally arraigned before Justice Laurie-Ann Smith-Bovell at Barbados’ No. 4 Supreme Court. During the arraignment hearing, Thompson entered not guilty pleas to both charges brought against him by state prosecutors.
The first charge accuses Thompson of illegally and maliciously carrying out an act that put both Danielle Dowridge and Sylvia Dowridge at significant risk of death or severe permanent bodily injury. The second charge stems from allegations that Thompson caused damage to Danielle Dowridge’s private motor vehicle, with prosecutors asserting he either intended to put Dowridge’s life at risk through the damage, or acted with reckless disregard for the danger the damage would create for her.
Court documents confirm the alleged offenses are said to have taken place on March 24, 2022, more than two years before Thompson’s scheduled court date.
Acting Senior State Counsel Paul Prescod is leading the prosecution’s case against Thompson, while defense attorney Simon Clarke has been appointed to represent the accused throughout the trial proceedings. Following the arraignment, the court fixed a start date of January 25 for the full criminal trial to unfold before the high court.