Shaqkere Parris, a Barbadian cricketer who is a member of the Cricket West Indies (CWI) Academy team based in Antigua, pleaded guilty to the charge of battery when he appeared in the Magistrates Court in St John’s earlier today.
The 22-year-old, who plays for University of the West Indies (UWI) in the local competition and Combined Campuses & Colleges (CCC) in the regional competition, answered the charge brought by taxi operator Ian Joseph.
He was ordered to pay EC$1 500 (BDS$1 115) in seven days or spend seven days in prison. He was also ordered to pay EC$$500 (BDS$370) in compensation to Joseph within seven days or spend seven days in prison.
Reports in local media in Antigua and on social media platforms alleged that Parris physically assaulted Joseph at the team’s accommodation in St John’s after the operator refused to board him as a passenger following a heated conversation regarding an earlier incident involving a female colleague. It was also reported that Parris was accused of pushing and punching the driver after the taxi operator removed his luggage from the vehicle.
Parris recently returned to Antigua after the West Indies Academy toured Sri Lanka for five matches, where he was the team’s leading batsman with scores of 99 in the second four-day match and 177 in the final 50-over match. (PS)
