Michael Augustus, whose common-law wife pleaded for him to be jailed because of the constant abuse she suffered at his hands, was yesterday sentenced to 14 months in prison and he collapsed outside the courtroom soon after sentencing.
Magistrate Judy Latchman handed down the sentence at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court, where Augustus, 49, had pleaded guilty two weeks prior to hitting his wife Dawn Garraway to the head with a piece of wood, causing her to lose consciousness. Magistrate Latchman stated that domestic violence is prevalent in society today and that a message needs to be sent to potential offenders.
Augustus, whose lawyer failed in a bid to secure a non-custodial penalty for him, lay in the hallway of the court building after his collapse, appearing as though he was suffering a fit. He cried aloud for his mother as police officers flocked around, trying to revive him and assist him to his feet. “Ow meh mother! Ow! Ow meh mother, way yuh deh?” Augustus cried repeatedly, tossing about his body on the floor.
The commotion caused a momentary disturbance in the proceedings of the surrounding courts, while attracting the attention of curious onlookers.
Two police officers eventually managed to get Augustus back on his feet. As they were escorting him to the prisoners’ holding cell, one of them warned him against throwing himself down, saying he could seriously injure himself.
Augustus had pleaded guilty at his arraignment two weeks prior and the court deferred sentencing for yesterday pending the presentation of the probation report.
Moments before the case was called, Augustus, who sat in the prisoners dock, pleaded with Garraway to forgive him for his actions. “Ah change meh life, ah get baptise in prison. Ah asking for forgiveness. Ah ain gon do those things anymore,” he told the woman, who remained unmoved.
The probation report presented to the court yesterday stated that the parties reside at 37 William Street, Kitty and shared an 18-year relationship which produced two children, ages 11 and 12, in addition to other children they each had from previous unions.
Augustus worked as a carpenter and also did odd jobs in the area, but his income was not always enough to cater for the family’s needs, the court heard.
Nevertheless, according to the probation officer, the couple enjoyed a healthy relationship until 2005, when they went to live with Garraway’s parents and it appeared as though she sided with her parents whenever they had issues with Augustus.
The officer said too that according to reports, Augustus sought refuge in alcohol and that he was always the aggressor in the home and Garraway, always the victim of his abuse.
When asked if he wanted to say anything before being sentenced, Augustus said he had now realised that he made a mistake thinking that alcohol would help him cope with family problems. “I give my life to Christ this moment and this won’t happen again. I am very sorry for what I have done,” he added.
After perusing the probation report for some time, attorney Fitzgerald Yaw, who represented Augustus, said he thought it was a fair report but pleaded with the magistrate to impose a non-custodial sentence, since the parties have decided to go their separate ways.
Yaw made an unsuccessful request for the court to place his client on probation to give him an opportunity of seeking advice from the services of the probation department.
Magistrate Latchman, however, informed the visibly-worried Augustus that he would be imprisoned for 14 months. She also ordered that upon his release he be provided with probation services to be able to live a better life. She also told Augustus that since he has turned his life to Christ, he should bear in mind that “Jesus said to love your wife just the way Christ loves the Church.”
Among the aggravating circumstances cited by the magistrate was the fact that Garraway suffered lacerations to her head, which caused severe bleeding, although she did him no harm.
In mitigation, the court took into consideration the fact that the man pleaded guilty at the first given opportunity, saving the court considerable time in otherwise having to conduct a trial. It noted too that he appeared remorseful for what he had done, that he had no antecedents and had two minor children.
At the first hearing, Garraway, whose face was visibly swollen as a result of the attack by her husband, pleaded with the magistrate to “Please let him [Augustus] go down, I feeling pain right now; me whole one side black and blue.”
Augustus, whose actions of assaulting his wife were described as “stupid” by his attorney, admitted that on June 28, at Georgetown, he unlawfully and maliciously wounded Garraway.
Prosecutor Renetta Bentham had said that the attack occurred after a drunken Augustus, who was being taunted by children in his street, was told by Garraway not to bother with them.
Bentham said Augustus became annoyed with Garraway and began using a series of expletives towards her.
His behaviour, she added, caused the woman to ask him to leave the home.
It was at this point that the court then heard from the prosecution that Augustus picked up a piece of wood, with which he dealt Garraway several lashes to her head, causing her to fall unconscious for a while.
On regaining consciousness, Bentham said that Garraway went to the Kitty Police Station, where she reported the matter, after which Augustus was arrested and charged.
Garraway’s medical certificate which was presented to the court by the prosecution stated that she suffered a “laceration to the head and deep bleeding.”
