Sentence pending for Christ Church man who admitted to assault

A pre-sentencing report has been ordered on a Christ Church man who landed himself before the magistrates’ court on an assault charge.

Raymond Adrian Brathwaite, of Turquoise Road, Kingsland Terrace pleaded guilty to assaulting Sian Sumrah on January 26 on his first appearance before Magistrate Deidre McKenna.

He is now scheduled to reappear before the Oistins Magistrates’ Court on April 29 after his surety was accepted.

In the meantime, he has been warned to stay away from the complainant and to relocate until the matter is determined.

The court heard from Station Sergeant Peter Barrow that the two were at home when Brathwaite began accusing Sumrah of having his ATM and identification cards. She denied the allegation, resulting in Brathwaite cuffing her on the side of her head. According to the facts, read by the prosecutor, Brathwaite then took up a knife and threatened to kill her. The complainant ran out and notified the police.

Before Magistrate McKenna on Thursday Brathwaite explained that he was involved in a quarrel with the complainant but “the truth is that I pushed her not cuff her”.

He added: “I ask her for my bank card and she tell me she ain’t got it but yet still tell me to look up under the bed and all sorts of places.”

The first-time offender said that when he realized that the complainant was getting ready to leave the house he reacted. “I  went for the knife . . . to punch out the tire and let the air out because I wanted back my bank card. My little girl start to cry so I put back the knife.”

He further explained that the woman called the police after he refused to move from in front of the car.

But the complainant who was in court told the Magistrate that Brathwaite has a problem with alcohol.

“He has a drinking problem,” she said. “I would like for something to be put in place because during the whole incident he was intoxicated. . . But I do not have his bank card. It is just that when he drinks he forgets stuff.”