Frenches man to defend himself in grievous bodily harm case

This Friday the court will continue examining the evidence concerning whether one man repeatedly punched another until he blacked out, and caused him to fall on his leg, breaking it.

Arthur Charles now walks with a walking stick, supposedly because of the incident currently under examination by the Kingstown Magistrate’s Court.

Radnue Henry, from Frenches, is accused of causing grievous bodily harm to Charles on June 19.

Last Wednesday, November 3, the court heard from Charles, who was then questioned by Henry, and then it heard from a female friend of Charles, who was present on that day.

The female friend, who is the key witness for the prosecution told the magistrate that she has known Charles for about 20 years, and that he is a good family friend.

As to the events that occurred on June 19, she informed the magistrate that she and Charles were at Tokyo at a shop sitting, and talking. She said that Charles normally goes to another shop in the same area, but he told her that a man and woman talk about him, and are always saying that he “macco” them.

The witness then said she told Charles how he “always making” people disrespect him. Henry’s child’s mother passed where they were, and Charles pointed her out as the woman who accused him of “maccoing”. The witness said that after she received this information it caused her to start “cussing she off”. The woman passed by without saying anything in response, the witness said.

Later that day, Charles and the witness went to Coreas minimart and had just finished their shopping when she said they saw the defendant. Apparently, the defendant, who the witness did not know personally before the incident, turned around, saw them, and hustled in their direction.

Following this, she said she witnessed Henry pointing his hands in Charles’ face, cursing him. The “born again” Christian witness didn’t want to use the expletives that she heard, but eventually told the magistrate that Henry said “You f***ing Arthur!” and “Arthur why you cussing my child mother?”

Therefore, the witness said she interjected, trying to tell the defendant it wasn’t “Arthur”, it was she. Henry then supposedly said to her, “Miss I don’t know who is you, I only care bout this man here.”

The witness continued telling her story, she said that the defendant wasn’t paying attention to her, but only Charles. Eventually, someone pulled him away.

The witness and Charles were walking behind the defendant, on their way to catch a bus, but he was continuing to pull away to try and walk back to them.

Charles then “buss a bad word”, which the witness said she has never heard him do before, and this supposedly caused Henry to say “I going box him down”. “I tell him no you can’t box Arthur,” the witness said, and recalled that she then turned around to give the things she was carrying to a woman to hold. As she turned back around, Henry had apparently turned to face them and the witness said she saw as he gave Charles one box in his face. Charles was then on the ground and the defendant apparently stood over him and started boxing him in his head and face.

Afterwards, the witness observed “blood start pitching” and they used wipes to help Charles, and tried to raise him to a standing position. However, she recalled that he told them that he couldn’t make it, that it seemed his foot had broken. The swelling began on the spot, she posited.

The witness was the one who called the police and Charles was taken to the hospital.

According to the defendant, he did not approach Charles, and the others were the ones cursing and putting their hands in his face. He said he walked away and was followed by the two, and at one point, due to a motion by Charles, who he claimed was already walking with a stick, he flung out his hand and said “move from behind ah me, nah man.”

The defendant, who is not legally represented, will have an opportunity to present his side of the case, and also has a witness who was apparently present on the day. The trial continues on November 13, and is presided over by Senior Magistrate Rickie Burnett.

Prosecutor Corporal (Ag) Corlene Samuel presents the case for the prosecution.