The Tribune

By FARRAH JOHNSON

Tribune Staff Reporter

fjohnson@tribunemedia.net

A MAN who claimed he assaulted his girlfriend after she “put something in his drink” was sentenced to two months in prison on Friday.

The accused – whose name has been withheld to protect the identity of his partner – was arrested after the woman reported the matter to police on September 12.

The court was told that around 9.45 that night, the woman told police she was riding with her boyfriend in the Sea Breeze area, when he slapped her in her face and beat her about her body. The prosecution said although the assault caused minor bruises to her face and pain to her body, she told them she did not intend to receive medical attention. After she filed her complaint, the accused was arrested. When he was questioned in custody, he admitted getting into a verbal altercation with his girlfriend about their relationship and said he slapped her in her face which caused the bruising.

When he appeared before Magistrate Kendra Kelly on Friday, he pleaded guilty. He also told the magistrate that his girlfriend had placed a “molly” in his drink which caused him to “act weird.”

“That day was a blur,” he said. “My neighbours had to tell me what happened (because) I was under the influence of explicit drugs”.

During the hearing, the accused also claimed that he and his girlfriend had been in an accident the night before and said she had left him at the scene. He insisted that at the time of the assault they were “both on drugs and one thing led to another.”

In response, Magistrate Kelly told the accused his behaviour was “completely unacceptable.”

“What you did to her face was completely uncalled for,” she said. “It was barbaric and the court can’t take this lightly.”

Magistrate Kelly said in view of that fact and in light of the accused’s previous convictions, she would sentence him to two months on remand.