Magistrate Hazel Octave-Hamilton ordered a man to serve six months in jail and pay a fine after he pleaded guilty to assaulting his co-worker and threatening to kill her, when the matter was heard in the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court yesterday.
Gregory Forde accepted that on July 29 at Georgetown, he unlawfully assaulted Madonna Narine so as to cause her actual bodily harm. He also admitted that on the same day he threatened to kill Narine when the charge of using threatening language resulting in a breach of the peace was read to him. In addition, Narine, a second year student of the University of Guyana who resides at 73 Jasmine Avenue, Eccles, East Bank Demerara was also charged with assaulting Forde.
The 31-year-old anatomical assistant denied that on July 29 at Georgetown she unlawfully assaulted Forde so as to cause him actual bodily harm.
Police Corporal Venetta Pindar told the court that “Forde had accused [Narine] of calling his wife; informing her of an alleged affair he was having.”
She said two were at their place of employment at the time when they began to exchange words during which Forde pushed Narine to the ground and dealt her several cuffs about the body. He then pushed the woman into a wall.
Pindar also told the court that the two were parted by their co-workers and in the process Forde told Narine that “he was going to get someone to kill her.” The matter was subsequently reported to the Brickdam Police Station after which they sought medical attention and were arrested and charged.
When given a chance to explain, Forde told the court that Narine had told him that she was angry with him because he had sent a text message to her husband informing him that they were involved in a relationship. He said he was turning away from the woman after talking to her, when she attacked and slapped him.
He also said she lashed him with a hockey stick, which in an attempt to bar the lashes hit his elbows. Forde then said that he pushed her twice and slapped her once after which they were parted by co-workers and taken to the station.
After pleading guilty to the assault charge, the magistrate informed Forde that the penalty for the offence was “jail.” At this time, attorney-at-law Vic Puran who was sitting at the Bar Table, urged the defendant to plead not guilty to the charge. However, Forde clearly said, “But I assault her, my Worship.” Puran then made several attempts to persuade the man to plead not guilty but soon retired after realising that his efforts were in vain.
When Magistrate Octave-Hamilton asked the defendant if he wished to say anything before penalty was imposed, and again after Puran’s coaching to say “not guilty,” the defendant calmly uttered, “I don’t know what else to say.” The magistrate then told a shocked Forde that he would be imprisoned for six months. He was also ordered to pay a $15,000 fine forthwith on the threatening language charge or alternatively spend a further two weeks imprisoned.
In handing down her sentence, the magistrate said that she had given Forde below what the law required for that assault charge. Forde appeared puzzled when he realized that a police officer approaching him was preparing to handcuff him and escort him to the holding facility in the jail of the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court.
Magistrate Octave-Hamilton then pointed out that resorting to violence should never be an alternative for settling disputes. She also read the Doctor’s Report on the medical certificate for both parties and stated that according to the findings, Narine sustained several contusions about her body, injuries to her buttocks and blunt trauma all resulting from suspected assault. Further, she opined that based on the doctor’s findings, the court could not see how one slap which Forde said he dealt Narine could have caused the injuries recorded on the medical certificate.
After reading Forde’s medical certificate, the Magistrate said that he suffered tenderness to the elbows and difficulty opening the arm. She further explained that the assault charge against Forde was a serious one, considering the injuries the doctor had indicated that Narine suffered. She noted that the charge against Narine was also serious, though Forde’s injuries were not as severe.
She also pointed out too that Narine had entered a plea of not guilty and that the matter would be determined at a trial. No facts regarding the charge against Narine were presented to the court and the prosecution did not object to a bail application made by Narine’s attorney. The woman was granted $15,000 bail and her matter transferred to Court One on October 17.
