Fisherman blames woman for his assault on her after being asked to leave her home

“Don’t ever put your hands on a woman. If she puts her hands on you go to the police.”

Chief Magistrate Ian Weekes gave that advice to Ryan Corrie Andre Trotman, of Beckles Road, St Michael who had admitted to assaulting his girlfriend on January 8 causing her actual harm.

The woman is a long stay visitor to the island who arrived here back in 2020. The two met and became friendly and Trotman subsequently moved in with her.

Prosecuting Sergeant Victoria Taitt told the District ‘A’ Magistrates’ Court that on the date of the incident Trotman came to the house accompanied by another man. His girlfriend met him at the gate, informed him that he was to enter the residence, get his belongings and leave, as she no longer wanted him to reside with her.

According to the facts, Trotman began getting his things but during the process told the woman that he would leave the following morning. She however continued to tell him to leave her place which angered him.

The prosecutor said he held the woman by the neck and beat her about the body. The man who had accompanied Trotman tried to intervene but left after the accused became “too aggressive”.

The woman was able to get away and called the police who responded. She received medical treatment and was said to have suffered multiple soft tissue injuries.

In explaining his actions before Chief Magistrate Weekes, the first time offender, a fisherman, said he was provoked.

“Yes I was wrong for hitting her but that was after she hit me. I just grabbed her and pushed her away from me, that is how she graze the wall and fell to the ground. When I was packing my stuff she became aggressive. She was pushing me all the time and I was stopping her from doing it. She was already hurt from the day before because she has a bad hip. She told me she fell the day before when she was putting up curtains,” Trotman explained.

However Weekes expressed concern about the situation and chastised Trotman for putting his hands on the woman instead of contacting the police.

The magistrate also said he needed to hear the complainant’s side of incident on February 25.

In the meantime Trotman must undergo an anger management course.

He was granted bail in the sum of $3 000 with one surety and warned to stay away from the complainant.