Drunk attacks girlfriend over her failure to prepare meal

A 40-year-old man returned home around 9 p.m. on January 2 after enjoying some “Diamond brown rum” and realised that his girlfriend had not prepared the food she had been told to.

An argument erupted, according to Police Constable Sayleen Hinds, and deteriorated quickly into a fight with Fabian Hayden McDonald, of Upper Tudor Bridge, St Michael choking Tahirah Bourne, his girlfriend of four years.

She begged him to stop but he didn’t. She subsequently managed to escape and the matter was reported to police.

When interviewed by lawmen McDonald said he had been under the influence of alcohol when the incident occurred.

Today before Chief Magistrate Ian Weekes he again admitted that he went home intoxicated but “not with the intention” of starting an argument.

“I got a little angry, got a little frustrated about a couple of things. I don’t usually drink. The argument was about food I had left home for her to prepare,” he said which prompted the judicial officer to ask him whether he had seriously quarrelled with Bourne because she had not prepared food.

“It was some fish that I had bought home. Currently, I don’t have electricity. I think I had Diamond brown rum. I would take a little drink occasionally, but probably got a little carried away. I occasionally drink beer,” the accused said.

He was told that a beer was his limit and he should not experiment with Mount Gay – if that is what he indeed had as he was unsure.

“It never happened in the past. It is the first time it ever happened. I feel bad about the matter. It is not me.

“I deeply apologise to Ms Bourne for my actions and it will never happen again and I will stay away from alcohol,” McDonald stated.

The complainant who was in the court accepted the apology and asked for the convicted man to be ordered to undergo counselling.

McDonald agreed and he will return to court on February 4 for an assessment for the UN Women Partnership for Peace Programme.

“You have to do this programme,” Weekes told McDonald. “You will not under any circumstances seek to put your hand on this lady again. If you do it again, I will have to put you away.”

Also, on February 4 McDonald’s two charges to which he pleaded not guilty today, will again come up for hearing. He denied assaulting and resisting Police Constable Kenroy Ashton while he executed his duties on January 2.

McDonald is on $2,500 bail in the meantime.