Man warned after chasing neighbour with knife

A Bayland man has been granted bail and ordered to stay away from his neighbour after admitting to wounding him during a confrontation that escalated into a knife incident.

Magistrate Jared Richards made clear to Marius Maycock that people who take the law into their own hands often end up in trouble.  

The Clarkes Avenue resident pleaded guilty to unlawfully and maliciously wounding Leon Cornette on August 2.  

The District ‘A’ Traffic Court heard that Cornette had been living in the area for over 30 years and Maycock, his girlfriend and her son for the past two years. Cornette and Maycock are not friends but Maycock’s girlfriend and Cornette are.  

Prosecutor Station Sergeant Vernon Forde said that on Sunday, after an argument between Maycock and his girlfriend’s son, she contacted Cornette to speak to her son. Cornette arrived at the house and Maycock came out with a knife in his waist and asked repeatedly: “You got something for me?”  A fearful Cornette took off on a bicycle, with Maycock in pursuit. The accused then pushed the rider onto a nearby paling. 

Cornette fell and as the two began scuffling he received a laceration to his chest. Maycock went back into his house and then left. Police and an ambulance were summoned and Cornette was taken to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital where he was treated and discharged.  

From the dock, Maycock said: “He pulled a scissors and I pulled my knife cause I ain’t letting nobody get me first. He took up the bicycle and swipe at me and I swipe back at him and that’s when he get the cut.”

Asked why he came out of the house with the knife in the first place, Maycock replied: “He always troubling me and saying what he would do to me. I went to the police for him already.”  

The magistrate said: “You could have gone back into your house and called the police. You cannot be taking the law into your own hands. You are saying he is troubling you but look at who is here with a charge. Furthermore, he was getting on his bicycle and riding off and you pursued him so at that point you became the aggressor. Do you understand that?” 

The prosecutor said that Maycock had three previous convictions which were cannabis-related.  

Richards ordered a pre-sentence report and released Maycock on $3 000 bail with surety, warning him to stay away from the complainant.  

“Sir, I already made arrangements to rent somewhere else,” Maycock replied.  

The case was adjourned until October 29 when Maycock will be sentenced. 

(JB)