Cutlass attack

With his right hand encased and supported by a sling a 46-year-old man appeared before the court following “a funny situation” which resulted in a cutlass attack.

An injured Devere Anthony Gittens, of Holders Land, Brandon’s, St Michael pleaded guilty before Magistrate Douglas Frederick today to unlawfully and maliciously inflicting serious bodily harm on Mario Motley on March 3. He also admitted to damaging two DVD players and a fan worth $1,140 belonging the Motley on the same day.

The two men were previously friends but fell out after Motley got married to the mother of Gittens’ children. They all live in the same apartment building. On March 3 the married couple was in the bedroom when they heard a knock at the door. Motley came out to find what looked like cooking oil on the floor at the door.

A confrontation followed and a cutlass-wielding Gittens took aim at Motley but missed. However, Motley, who also had a cutlass, did not miss and connected with Gittens’ right arm,
prosecutor Sergeant St Clair Phillips said as he outlined the facts in the District ‘A’ Magistrates’ Court.

“We live in the same apartment. We were friends but we disagreed after he married my children’s mother about a year or so ago. But me and she was not agreeing and she decided that she will get married to he. I did not have no problem with that though,” Gittens told the court.

He said Motley pushed him when he came through the door and the dispute began from there.

“They live in the apartment next door. It is a funny situation but I hold my head together because I have five children  . . . . But I agree that the relationship is over,” the accused who is known to the court stated.

Magistrate Frederick then adjourned the matter until March 8 to hear from Motley.

Gittens is on $1,000 bail in the meantime.