By FARRAH JOHNSON
fjohnson@tribunemedia.net
A MAN was ordered to pay $800 in compensation to his child’s mother after he admitted to harming her during a domestic dispute earlier this week.
Ray Sands appeared before Magistrate Samuel McKinney after he was accused of stabbing the mother of his child with a pair of scissors on June 28. He pleaded guilty and was ordered to compensate the woman $800 for her injuries. If he fails to do so, he will spend three months at the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services.
The court heard that the woman got in an argument with the defendant around 1pm that day. At the time, she told police that she was holding her three-week-old baby when the defendant slapped her face. She said when she tried to leave the room, the accused stopped her from doing so and choked her. When she finally managed to leave the room, she looked for an object to hit the defendant with. Still, when she returned she discovered that the man had locked the door. During the altercation, the woman claimed she was stabbed with a pair of scissors, causing her injuries. As a result of her complaint, the defendant was arrested. During an interview with police, he admitted to being in a physical altercation with the complainant. The prosecution also noted that a hospital form indicated that the woman suffered penetrating wounds on her back and neck.
When given an opportunity to speak, the defendant told the magistrate that he and the woman were talking about something when the argument started. He claimed that the disagreement escalated and the woman got a cutlass so he locked himself in the room. The accused also said that the complainant broke the door down. “I glance (at) a scissors on the drawer,” he said. “I didn’t swing with no aim, I just tried to defend myself.” He added that when he tried to leave, the complainant’s brother came into the room and held him down so that the woman could “chap” him. He claimed that he was lucky to get out of the house alive.
Before passing sentence, Magistrate McKinney asked the defendant how he could claim the woman was coming at him if her medical report indicated that she was attacked from behind. He also noted that if a person suffered injuries on their back and neck the “reasonable conclusion” would be that the person was moving away from somebody and not approaching them.
As a result, he ordered the defendant to compensate the complainant for her injuries. The man was also bound to keep the peace with his child’s mother for one year. Magistrate McKinney also warned the defendant that if he trespassed on the woman’s property or showed up at her place of work, he would be fined $500 or spend three months in prison.
Yesterday, Tevin Wallace, 27, also appeared before Magistrate McKinney after he was accused of threatening to kill his neighbour on June 26.
He pleaded guilty and was bound to keep the peace for six months. If he fails to do so he will be fined $500 or spend one month in prison.
During the hearing, he was represented by attorney Ian Cargill. He told the magistrate that the neighbours had an argument and they both threatened one another. Still, he claimed that his client did not feel the need to report the matter to the police.
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