A contractor who wanted to present a Valentine’s Day rose to his wife ended up in court on a wounding charge after his wife told him she was on the phone with another man.

Tundai Trotman pleaded guilty with explanation to unlawfully and maliciously wounding Nicola Valenzuela on February 13 at Tucville Terrace and was remanded to prison.

Trotman, 30, of 78 Tucville Terrace told Acting Chief Magistrate Melissa Robertson that he had purchased a red rose to present to his wife on the day in question, but when he got home she was on the phone.

Not wanting to disturb her, he said, he watched her on the bed and subsequently asked her who she was talking to.

She told him a friend. He said he became suspicious and asked again and was told it was none of his business.

In a bid to find out who it was, Trotman said, he went through her bag in search of a number because he knew that her phone display was bad.

He said that while doing this he told his wife not to come further and “she say you gon hit me? Hit me,” and he hit her.

The court erupted in laughter.

He went on to say that they had made their way back to the bedroom and “she say hit she again so I pick up the knife and I hit her and it bust her head”.

Trotman made a point in telling the court that he did not wound his wife. Explaining what kind of knife he hit his wife with to the magistrate, he said it was a hunting knife and because it was big when he hit her it burst her head.

Meanwhile the virtual complainant told the court that when Trotman got home he asked her who she was on the phone with and she told him “is a man and it’s none of his business.”

She said she was on the phone with a neighbour assisting him with his child’s Social Studies homework.

She said when Trotman began searching her bag she told him to “do what you have to do me ain’t frighten.”

She said this was when he hit her with his hands and later with the knife.

The VC told the court that she wants Trotman out of her life and her home.

Police Prosecutor, Inspector Stephen Telford asked for a six-month jail term for the defendant. According to Telford, Trotman had wanted his wife to call the number again, but when she did not, he dialled several numbers to no avail. It was then, Telford said, armed with a knife, that the defendant told the VC he was going to “done her dance” and chopped her.

Trotman was remanded to prison. He is to return to court on February 24 for a probation report.

The rose was never given to the VC and was left on the bed, the magistrate was told when she enquired what became of it.