By Ayanna Blair
Acting Chief Magistrate Melissa Robertson yesterday remanded to prison a 27-year-old mason who allegedly stabbed a dog to death and assaulted a landlord and her daughter shortly after the women had pleaded with him to stop beating his brother.
Leon Europe of Lot 6 Durban Street, Wortmanville pleaded not guilty to two counts of unlawful assault and malicious damage to property when the charges were read to him at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court.
The magistrate noted that Europe had also been charged with cruelty towards an animal but said that this matter had to be clarified.
It is alleged that on April 27 last year Europe unlawfully assaulted his brother’s landlord, Ursula Dodson and her daughter Anacience Cave, so as to cause them actual bodily harm.
Europe is also accused of unlawfully damaging a glove, two doors and several windowpanes, totalling $61,000, property of Dodson.
Cave, who was also present in court, stated that on the day in question it was the screams of Europe’s brother that brought them downstairs when they urged Europe to cease the beating. “He dey beating de boy with anything he hand could find and he refused to stop.”
She said that when she and Dodson finally got Europe to stop the beating he ran behind their dog “and he start beating and kicking de dog” and then he picked up a big brick and pelted her to her breast.
She said that he also scrambled her and “he hold meh head and slam it to a concrete wall” and as he was attempting to continue she pushed him off.
She stated that Europe then scrambled Dodson and told her “big woman wah yah want me to do to yah”. He then let go of her and she ran back upstairs to her home with Cave.
Cave said further that Europe then picked up another big brick, pelted and broke Dodson’s windowpanes and a piece of glass fell and cut her son’s hand.
She stated too that Europe then started kicking their door and when he saw the dog again he took a knife and stabbed the animal several times.
Dodson also told the court “that incident has been traumatizing to me and my family and my grandson who was cut still gets nightmares.” She said that her grandson who was 10-years-old at the time was so frightened that he had refused to go to school and “when he would see this young man (Europe) he would urinate himself.”
She said she cannot forget how cruelly Europe stabbed her dog and that it died a short while after.
Dodson also noted that several weeks after the incident, someone saw Europe and contacted her and she in turn informed the police who soon arrested him.
She further noted that prior to the incident Europe had assaulted his brother several other times.
Europe then stated “when I was in she yard to visit me brother she loose de dog on me.”
Prosecutor Dennise Griffith stated that after the incident, Europe had been hiding which prevented the police from locating him. She then asked that Europe’s bail application be refused when he suggested it and that he be remanded to prison.
The magistrate subsequently ordered that Europe be remanded to prison and that he appear back in court on April 8.