A twenty-year-old man, who is accused of beating a man with an axe after being assaulted, was granted bail while the man who allegedly assaulted him was ordered to pay a fine when they appeared before Magistrate Melissa Robertson at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday.
Neil Tobin of 58 Remus Street, Agricola, East Bank Demerara, pleaded not guilty to the charge of unlawfully and maliciously assaulting with intent to maim, disfigure or cause grievous bodily harm to Wayne Clarke. While Clarke, 42, of 158 Pike Street, Kitty pleaded guilty to the charge of unlawfully assaulting Tobin.
Clarke explained that he goes to Tobin’s business place twice daily and he had always encountered a problem with him but “Your worship on de day, de two bosses wasn’t there, so de boy get de opportunity to read out me horoscope.” Clarke stated that on September 23 he had parked his bicycle outside the business place and proceeded to fill a bottle with water when Tobin started arguing and ordered him to remove his bike and later turned off the tap. Clarke said that he turned the pipe back on and asked Tobin “If I put me hand pun you, you think you could defend yourself?” Shortly after a scuffle started between them.
Clarke said that he soon broke loose from Tobin’s grip and jumped on his bicycle to ride away but someone shouted “Watch it.”
He said that Tobin then dealt him a blow on his shoulder with the blunt end of an axe blade and a few others about his body. Clarke reportedly sustained a dislocated shoulder as a result of the blows.
However Tobin’s lawyer stated that at around 1 pm on September 23, at Tobin’s workplace which is a water plant located in David Street, Kitty, Clarke turned up and attempted to fill a bottle without the permission of the boss. When Tobin objected Clarke dealt him two cuffs to his face, the defence counsel told the court.
He said that his client defended himself by dealing Clarke a few lashes with a piece of wood. The defence attorney then applied for bail.
However Clarke had stated that he was not desirous of proceeding with the case but later changed his mind and decided to take it to trial since according to him he cannot work to provide for his family.
Magistrate Robertson then ordered that Clarke pay a fine of $10,000 and she placed Tobin on $15,000 bail. The two have to return to court on November 5.
