Shawn Sealey escaped a jail sentence yesterday after his girlfriend, who he was charged with assaulting, said she no longer wished to give evidence against him.
Sealey appeared before Magistrate Sueanna Lovell at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court, on the charge that on January 24, at William Street, Kitty, he unlawfully assaulted Sylvia Greene.
The man, who was unrepresented, pleaded guilty to the charge when it was read to him.
The magistrate informed him if he knew that by pleading guilty she could begin sentencing, at which point Sealey explained that he and Greene had come to a decision that they no longer wanted to proceed with the matter. He said that it was a mistake he made and that he would never do it again.
Greene told the court that the incident was the first time Sealey had assaulted her. She said that the episode stemmed from a phone call she received and they both hit each other.
Nevertheless, she said that she did not wish to give to give further evidence and would instead prefer to attend counseling.
Police prosecutor Denise Booker asked that the court place them on a bond to keep the peace and ordered that they pay court costs.
However, Magistrate Lovell ordered the couple to attend counselling at Help and Shelter and placed them on a bond to keep the peace for six months.
The matter was subsequently dismissed.
