Barber refused bail over assault of ex-girlfriend

A barber of West La Penitence was refused bail yesterday when he appeared in Court One charged with unlawfully assaulting his ex-girlfriend.

Ray Lewis, 28, of 55 West La Penitence is charged with assaulting Bettina Teixeira on March 20.  He pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Lewis told the court that the day before the incident Teixeira went to his house and when she saw him in the company of a female she became annoyed and started cursing.

The next day, according to him, when he was bathing his son at Teixeira’s residence, she  pulled a knife on him and he chucked her in retaliation.

Teixeira, however,  gave the court a different version of the story.  She said that when she got home Lewis was waiting for her on the steps.  He told her he wanted to check her phone and when she refused he took her bag away and pushed her into the house, telling her to go into the bedroom. She refused and ran out of the house but only got to the gate.

She was forced to re-enter the house but she ran into a room and locked the door. However, Lewis kicked the door open and after he entered the room he began beating  her with his hands in the presence of their son.

The parties were referred to the probation department while the defendant was refused bail and the matter was set for return on April 9.