The Tribune

By FARRAH JOHNSON

Tribune Staff Reporter

fjohnson@tribunemedia.net

A 67-year-old man who assaulted his daughter with a tea kettle after she posted revealing photos of herself online was yesterday fined $1,000 and ordered to attend anger management classes.

Police said Eugene Robinson assaulted his daughter with a red tea kettle and stove burner after he saw inappropriate photos of her on Twitter.

He pleaded guilty to causing harm, assault with a deadly instrument and assault with a dangerous instrument, during a hearing before Magistrate Ambrose Armbrister yesterday.

The court was told that around 4pm on October 26, the complainant was at her home when Robinson came there furious about photos she had posted on social media.

The accused’s daughter said Robinson was irate because she was studying medicine to become a doctor and he was paying her tuition.

The complainant said Robinson hit her in the head with the tea kettle several times and asked her why she was posting revealing photos online. She also said she called for her grandmother who attempted to part the fight, but was unsuccessful after Robinson grabbed a stove burner and began hitting her in the head with it.

The prosecution said the complainant’s grandmother was eventually able to get Robinson out of the house.

The police were then contacted and an investigation was launched. Robinson was arrested at his residence a short time later. In an interview with police at a nearby station, he declined to comment.

During the hearing, Robinson’s attorney told the magistrate the incident was an “unfortunate situation that occurred between a loving father and his daughter”. He explained that the complainant was studying to be a doctor and Robinson was the one paying her school fees. He claimed the accused was heavily involved in his church and was embarrassed when he saw the inappropriate pictures of his daughter on Twitter. The accused’s counsel claimed that his client just wanted to approach his daughter that day, but in the heat of the moment, lost his temper and hit her. He insisted Robinson was sorry and deeply regretted his actions.

As a result, for count one, Magistrate Armbrister ordered Robinson to attend anger management and dispute resolution counseling. He told him if he didn’t, he would spend three months at the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services. For count two, he also placed the defendant on four months’ probation and warned him if he failed to keep the peace during that time frame, he would pay a $500 fine or spend six months in prison. Finally, Magistrate Armbrister fined Robinson $1,000 for attacking his daughter with a stove burner. He said if he didn’t pay that fine, he could risk spending nine months behind bars.