Senior Resident Magistrate Lorna Errar on Tuesday lashed out at the police for holding a woman in custody for almost a week and not offering her station bail, after she was charged with malicious destruction of property.

She had a separate charge of murder against her.

Maria Pesoa of Portmore, St Catherine was taken into custody on February 4, after she allegedly damaged the windscreen of a motorist.

When the Magistrate asked why the woman had not been taken to court, the investigating officer said her superior had told her not to grant the accused bail.

RM Errar rejected that explanation.

"I don't see why a 50-odd-year-old woman should be kept in custody for almost a week without getting station bail or even put before the court. Discretion should be used in a case like this."

The RM added that the woman's murder charge had no bearing on the malicious destruction of property case. She said the second charge should have been dealt with differently.

Pesoa was granted $20,000 bail with surety. She is to return to court on March 10.

R.T.