Against the wishes of police prosecutor, popular ‘Roaming’ soca monarch Tian Winter was granted bail in the All Saints Magistrate’s Court yesterday on charges of battery and using threatening language on a female.
Winter was released on a $3,500 bail with two sureties and was asked to pay $1000 upfront as the cash component. Magistrate Ngaio Emmanuel ordered the 31-year-old artiste to relinquish his Antigua & Barbuda passport, and to report to the Coolidge Police Station every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
The magistrate also advised Winter to stay at least 50 feet away from the complainant, Tara Mason, whom the court heard is his ‘girlfriend and lover’. The prosecutor also told the magistrate that by order of the police commissioner, Winter should relinquish his licensed firearm. The prosecutor also applied to the court to revoke Winter’s station bail, granted the previous evening. However, Magistrate Emmanuel rejected the request and granted bail to the accused.
The police prosecutor argued his case for revocation when he told the Magistrate that Winter has had a history of similar occurrences and in his opinion, Winter should be remanded in custody.
Winter’s co-counsellor, Jermaine Rhudd confirmed that an alleged incident between his client and the complainant occurred after the PURE fete that took place last Sunday.
Winter was one of the performers at that event. Asked to comment further on the charges brought against his client, Rhudd said, “The Tian Winter matter has been adjourned until 15th August this year and that’s all I’m prepared to say at this point.”
Winter won his first Groovy Monarch and Jumpy crowns in 2009 with Groovy Hit Baby I and Jumpy tune Soca Rebels. He has since won both crowns multiple times. This year he has so far released songs such as In D Middle, Can’t Explain and ‘Smooth Criminal’.