Kitty resident Leon Hope was sentenced to serve two consecutive 12-month prison terms on Tuesday after he was found guilty of assaulting his mother and the mother of his child.
The sentences were handed down by Magis-trate Geeta Chandan-Edmond at the George-town Magistrates’ Court Ten, where Hope, of Thomas Street, Kitty, was on trial for the assaults.
Hope, who was unrepresented, had pleaded not guilty to both charges but Police Prosecutor Jomo Nichols successfully proved his guilt during the course of a two-day trial.
The first charge stated that on March 30, Hope dealt his mother, Debbie Hope, several cuffs, slaps and kicks, while the second charge stated that he did the same to Kimberly Hollingsworth, the mother of his child, on April 14. The two women had initially told the court that Hope has a violent nature and often threatened their lives, which in part contributed to him being refused bail when he was arraigned.
The details of the police report stated that Hope went home and in the presence of his mother declared that he would hit his younger brother because he interfered with his things.
He also started cursing his mother, who told him he could not say the things he was saying. He then pushed her to the ground and cuffed and kicked her about her body, police said.
As it relates to Hollingsworth, the police report said Hope saw Hollingsworth coming out of Bounty Supermarket on Pike and Alexander streets, Kitty.
The two had an argument and Hope claimed he was spat on and he then dealt several slaps to Hollingsworth’s face. She took refuge in a nearby shop as bystanders came to her rescue.
