Accused of assaulting a woman, a man was placed on bail yesterday after his lawyer told a court that he accidentally hit the complainant after she grabbed his phone. Royston Hope, a machinist, pleaded not guilty when he appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court 1, where he was charged with assaulting Indranie John on March 30.
Hope’s attorney explained that on the day of the alleged assault, John went to Hope’s workplace and confronted him about a pending issue. She subsequently reached her hand in his jacket pocket and took his phone, when he swiftly turned around and accidentally hit her in the face with his watch, the lawyer added.
But the prosecution disputed that the assault was an accident. Instead, the police say Hope held John’s hand and subsequently slapped her in her face with his watch.
After there was no objection to bail, it was set at $100,000 by Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry. The case will be called again on April 24.
