Man guilty of beating, stabbing girlfriend twice

A Jamaican national who beat his girlfriend and stabbed her twice will return to court on Friday to learn his fate.

Romane Antonio Burton, a 27-yearold labourer, of Pine Plantation Road, St Michael, broke down when he appeared in the District “A” Magistrates’ Court No. 2 yesterday to answer a charge of unlawfully and maliciously wounding Tashaya Smith.

After composing himself, he whispered “guilty” to the April 4 offence before Acting Magistrate Bernadeth John.

Remanded

He was remanded to Dodds Prison.

Prosecutor Sergeant Kenmore Phillips told the court that Burton and Smith were a couple for more than a year. They worked together and shared an apartment. However, Smith claimed there was physical and/or verbal abuse whenever he saw her talk to anyone of the opposite sex, including those on the worksite where they are both employed.

On April 4 when she reached home after 4 p.m., Burton met her at the door, grabbed her by the shirt and pulled her inside the bedroom. He shut the bedroom door and punched her in the mouth. When she raised her arms to block him, he punched her about the head and hands. He then dragged her to the main door but she escaped and ran back into the bedroom, where she jumped through a window and landed on the roof of another house.

Phillips continued that Smith was helped off the roof and as her landlord tried to assist by getting her into his car, Burton pulled her away from the vehicle. She screamed for help and some men who were nearby rushed over, but Burton pulled a knife from his waist. He hit her in the face with the knife handle before stabbing her to the right lower part of the back of the head.

She escaped again and ran off, but Burton followed her and continued making stabbing motions towards her – one of which caught her in the back. When she finally ran towards another group of men, Burton ran off.

A report was made to police and the victim was treated and discharged at the Sir Winston Scott Polyclinic.

The prosecutor also informed the court that Burton was given temporary status to stay in Barbados until July, but there was no evidence of permission to work.

Although he admitted wounding Smith, Burton told the acting magistrate it was not he who did not want her to talk to other men. He said Smith was the one who did not like him talking to females. He said he believed friendships “should have boundaries” but every day at break the complainant held “intimate conversations” with other men at work.

‘Lying’

However, when given the opportunity to speak, the complainant said Burton was lying. She outlined the events of that evening as she had told police previously, and as the prosecutor told the court.

During mitigation, Burton’s attorney Shaquilla Woodley submitted that her client had no previous convictions, had a fourmonth-old baby back in Jamaica and his actions on the day had not been intentional. She therefore asked the court to “show mercy” and made a bail application, which was denied.

“I think this case is more complex than just ordinary assault. There is assault and battery, there is domestic violence and then there’s an immigration issue,” Acting Magistrate John said.

She adjourned the matter until Friday, when Burton will return for sentencing and Immigration officials are expected to be present. (SD)