The four men who pleaded guilty to causing grievous harm to Grenada’s elite athlete Anderson Peters were each fined a total of EC$5,500 when they appeared before a judge in the St George’s No.1 Magistrates Court on Wednesday.

All four Trinidadians were ordered remanded in custody until the fines are paid. Failure to pay the fines could mean up to 18 months in prison for each man.

Mikhail John, a 35-year-old sailor, John Alexander, a 55-year-old deckhand, Noel Cooper, 42, the captain of the Harbour Master party boat, and Sheon Jack, a 28-year-old sailor, all pleaded guilty to charges of grievous harm against Anderson Peters and his brother Kiddon.

On the charge of grievous harm, each man was fined EC$3500 to be paid forthwith and in default face a year in prison; on the charge of causing harm each man was fined US$2000 to be paid forthwith or face six months imprisonment.

On Monday, prosecutors dropped the charges against 40-year-old Abiola Benjamin after reviewing a video of the incident that showed he was trying to separate the men involved in the altercation in which Peters suffered injuries to his ankle, elbow and face and was thrown overboard.

Meanwhile, 45-year-old sailor Lance Wiggins pleaded not guilty to the charges and was eventually released after prosecutors decided that the evidence against him was insufficient to bring about prosecution.

Peters was beaten and thrown overboard the Harbour Master party boat on the night of Wednesday, August 10. He suffered injuries to his ankle, elbow, and shoulder. He now faces a race against time to recover in order to complete his season on the Diamond League circuit.

If he is unable to, he stands to potentially lose tens of thousands of US dollars in earnings.

Peters has retained the services of Derick Sylvester in his quest to pursue a civil case against the convicted men.