Cedars man gets eight years for wounding

“You showed no mercy, you launched a most savage attack on this woman.” These were the words uttered by Justice Gertel Thom on Tuesday at the High Court as she sentenced Desmond Alexander to eight years imprisonment for wounding his ex-girlfriend, Monique Thompson of Cedars on August 16 last year.{{more}}

Thompson is lucky to be alive today after she was chopped almost everywhere on her body by a cutlass wielding Alexander. In the horrific cutlass attack, Thompson lost fingers from her left hand, and now has scars and permanent facial disfiguration.

Alexander pleaded guilty to the charge when he appeared before Justice Thom and a 12-member jury.

Alexander was staring down the peril of 15 years in prison, but five years was shaved off because of his guilty plea and two more for not wasting the court’s time.

At the Preliminary Inquiry stage, the court heard that Alexander was said to have telephoned Thompson saying he was coming by her for food. The victim claims that she told him that she did not want him there.

It has been reported that around midnight that the defendant went to Thompson’s home and forced the door open. When he got into house he went to Thompson’s room told her to put on some clothes and invited her onto the porch.

While on the porch, Alexander is said to have asked Thompson a question but she refused to answer.

It was then that Thompson received a blow to her face with an object. She ran back into the house and her daughter saw that part of her nose was severed. Thompson then sought refuge in one of the bedrooms. Alexander was forcing his way in and with Thompson’s hand was between the door, he started chopping her. After letting himself in the bedroom Alexander continued his onslaught on Thompson leaving her in a pool of blood.

In mitigation, Alexander’s’ lawyer, Bertram Stapleton said that the facts in the matter varied from what had been reported. Stapleton said that Thompson had been in another relationship while she was with Alexander. He said that his client even met Thompson and the other man on occasions before.

Justice Thom commented saying that it was her choice to do what she wanted and that they were not married and he should have left her.