Irish teen says he regrets incident that led to arrest in Guyana for presidential threat
By The Associated Press,
GEORGETOWN, Guyana - An Irish teen expressed regret and relief Wednesday following the dismissal of criminal charges for a drunken threat to Guyana's president.
Cillian James Crossan said in brief remarks to The Associated Press that he is eager to move past the incident involving two bodyguards to the president of the South American country.
"I am happy that it is all over," the 17-year-old Crossan said. "If I could do anything to change what happened I would certainly do it."
He spoke by phone from a remote town near the border with Brazil a day after Magistrate Allan Wilson in the district of Lethem announced that prosecutors had withdrawn the charge of provoking a breach of the peace.
Crossan is spending a year in Guyana as a volunteer teacher with Project Trust. He was arrested in April after a conversation with two bodyguards of President Donald Ramotar in which he said he would shoot the leader of Guyana. His defence lawyer later said the teen had been drinking and made the statement as a joke, not believing the men were presidential bodyguards.
He was facing a fine of less than $1,000 when prosecutors decided to withdraw the charges.
Crossan, who is scheduled to leave Guyana in August, said he has otherwise enjoyed his time in the country.