Construction workers praised by judge after defending woman being assaulted
Four construction workers, who allegedly assaulted another man, were praised by a senior parish judge after it was revealed that they were defending a breast cancer patient who was being physically assaulted.
The construction workers, Oneil Williams, Juan Richards, Mark Thompson and Anthony Barnes were charged with the unlawful wounding of Toro Bailey.
Bailey was charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm after he allegedly pushed the woman, causing her to bleed. The woman was also charged with unlawful wounding after she allegedly used a bamboo to hit Bailey on his head.
The court was told that on February 8 in the Corporate Area, the woman was standing at Bailey’s stall when she leaned on a bamboo, causing it to break. This sparked an argument between the two, resulting in the woman falling after Bailey pushed her.
The woman allegedly used the Bamboo to hit Bailey. He reportedly retaliated by using the bamboo to hit her on her head.
After seeing the woman struggling against Bailey, the construction workers, who were doing road-works, intervened.
Bailey pleaded guilty to assaulting the woman, however, the other defendants pleaded not guilty to their charges.
“That is what you must do when you see a woman in distress, you must help,” presiding judge at the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court, Lori-Ann Cole-Montague, said to the construction workers.
“Thank you, Your Honour,” the men responded.
At the same time, the woman told the judge that she wasn’t aware that the shop was being used, since it looked abandoned.
But, defending his action, Bailey said, “Dem sit down and plan fi gang me.”
“How you know them sit down and plan fi gang you?”, The judge asked, but Bailey did not answer.
“Mr Bailey knows that I just did surgery,” the woman interjected.
“You pushed her knowing that she just did surgery? That’s cold. Some people would say that’s wicked,” Cole-Montague said.
Turning to the woman, Cole-Montague said, “Madam, do you want to be compensated?”
“No, ma’am. Him have two children going to college,” she answered, adding that he just needs to take an anger management class.
Bailey later indicated that he wished to not go further with his case against the construction workers and the woman. Therefore, the court offered no evidence against them.
It was also revealed that Bailey had a previous conviction of assault and possession of ganja in 2019, in which he served three months in prison.
“That was just the other day… and you head hot so already?” Cole-Montague asked.