Magistrate Hazel Octave-Hamilton granted bail to a woman and two men who appeared in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday to answer to the charge of unlawful wounding, assault and the use of abusive language, respectively.
The court heard that on January 29, at Wellington Street, Gary Hope unlawfully wounded Fitz Small. He was also charged with assaulting Dawn Porter so as to cause her actual bodily harm, and with using threatening language to her whereby a breach of the peace was occasioned. Hope, a 43-year-old taxi driver of South Sophia, denied all the charges when they were read to him.
The court also heard that Porter, of Lot 15 Lamaha Park, Georgetown, shares a relationship with Hope. She was charged with assaulting him and pleaded not guilty when the charge was read to her.
Small who the court heard is in a relationship with Porter, was charged with unlawfully wounding Hope. The 40-year-old taxi driver of Lot 25 Middle Street, Sparendaam, also pleaded not guilty to the charge after it was read to him.
In narrating the facts, Prosecutor Jairam Luckhai told the court that Porter and Hope shared a relationship. On the said day, around 3pm, they went to church to seek counselling from a pastor. Small who is currently sharing a relation with the woman followed the couple to the church.
As a result of an argument, Hope followed his ex-partner along Wellington Street where he dealt her a cuff and in return she lashed him with her umbrella. Subsequently a scuffle ensued between Hope and Small, the prosecutor noted.
When given a chance to speak, Hope said that Porter invited him to church to seek counselling from a pastor. After the consultation, he said he was standing at the church door when he overheard the woman conversing on her telephone with another person.
He said that within five minutes of the phone conversation, Porter and Small arrived in a car. Hope said the man approached him and enquired whether he and Porter had had a problem. “I tell he that me and she together for 11 years…when me go up to de car to talk to she de man picked up a wood and lash me in my ribs,” he said.
After listening to Hope, Magistrate Octave-Hamilton asked him to indicate to the court the area where he sustained injuries on his body. Hope touched his ribs saying, “Here your worship but it ain’t have any bruise.”
The magistrate then granted Hope 125,000 bail, Porter $10,000 bail and Small $30,000 bail. They were ordered to appear in Court One for reports and fixtures on February 10.
