The Tribune

By LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

A 32-year-old man was yesterday ordered to attend anger management classes for three months after admitting to punching his pregnant wife during a heated argument last week.

Police arrested Sony Augustin after his wife reported to officers that he assaulted her on March 25.

The woman said she was at her residence when she and Augustin got into an argument about his whereabouts.

During the verbal altercation, the pregnant woman said the accused punched her in the face and about the body, causing injuries.

Police action was requested, and August was subsequently arrested and admitted to the offence.

His wife also admitted to hitting her husband with a comb in an interview with police, insisting her actions were in self defence.

However, Augustin’s attorney argued that his client was the one defending himself in the situation and accused the wife of being the aggressor.

“The wife is a police and they have been properly trained in self-defence and the fact that this man put her there…it makes no sense,” the attorney said.

He further noted the two had a strained relationship and that Augustin was willing to sever ties with his wife after several years of marriage.

“He loves his wife but sometimes he goes out to get a drink and sometimes he doesn’t hear his phone,” the attorney added.

The attorney went on to note that his client, who had no prior run-ins with the law, was extremely remorseful for his actions and asked the court for leniency.

After listening to the attorney’s explanation, Senior Magistrate Derence Rolle-Davis accepted the accused’s guilty plea, but warned him against reoffending.

He said his actions were not becoming for a man and noted that he could have used peaceful means to resolve the situation.

“I don’t condone hitting her at all, especially where she’s pregnant,” the magistrate said.

However, having taken into consideration the accused’s clean record, Magistrate Rolle-Davis said he would not impose a custodial sentence on the accused.

Instead, Augustin was ordered to stay away from his wife and attend anger management classes for three months.