A woman who burnt her common-law husband with a lit cigarette was yesterday placed on a six-month bond to keep the peace and to be on good behaviour.
Nicole Jones admitted to Magistrate Hazel Octive-Hamilton that on July 31, at Georgetown, she unlawfully assaulted Rawlston Gordon so as to cause him actual bodily harm.
When given a chance to explain, Jones said that the man’s drinking habits were causing “all the problems” in their eight-year relationship. “Is the rum causing all the problems,” she stressed.
The prosecutions’ case had stated that Gordon was burnt on his abdomen, but Magistrate Octive-Hamilton noted that the medical certificate indicated that the man sustained injury to his neck.
When asked for some clarification, Jones said that while she did burn her husband, she could not say where exactly on his body he was burnt during the scuffle.
Jones recalled that on the day of the incident, she had just completed chores when Gordon asked her to turn off the main connection to the water supply. She said that her response to Gordon was, “I ain’t want hear nothing because today we live good, tomorrow we live bad.”
She said the man then started verbally abusing her with a series of expletives and she responded in like manner. At this point, her mother intervened in a bid to make peace, but it was in vain as a scuffle ensued between Jones and Gordon.
According to Jones, Gordon was about to advance towards her to burn her with the cigarette he was smoking at the time. As a result, she said, she managed to grab the cigarette from his mouth and burnt him with it instead. She emphasised that her action was not wilful and that she only intended to prevent Gordon from burning her.
Gordon was not present at court.
In addition to being bonded to keep the peace, Magistrate Octive-Hamilton ordered Jones to seek professional counselling with the Probation and Welfare Department of Ministry of Human Services. She noted that from all indications, it appeared as if the relationship was in “turmoil.” She also warned the woman against having to reappear before the courts again.
