Suspended sentence and compensation ordered for heavy hammer attacker

A Canouan man, who struck his co-worker in the head with a heavy hammer was given a suspended sentence and ordered to pay compensation.

Randolph “Junie” De Roche, 58, appeared at the Kingstown Magistrate’s Court before Senior Magistrate, Tammika McKenzie on September 26, 2024, where he pleaded guilty that on September 15, 2024, at Canouan, he unlawfully and maliciously wounded John King, 39, of Canouan by striking him on his head with a hammer.

The facts are that King and DeRoche know each other very well. They were both employed by Michael DeRoche of Balance, Canouan, and Canada, to rebuild a restaurant, bar and store owned by Carlitha DeRoche of Balance.

At about 7:00 a.m on the date in question, work began on the site. Both King and DeRoche were working in the same area which used to be the restaurant and bar.

They were responsible for clearing the wooden frame which remained of the building. Both of them were equipped with a pig foot and a heavy hammer.

King placed his cellular phone in a corner of the building and went to work in the section that used to be the kitchen. When DeRoche saw the cell phone, he asked King who owns it, to which King responded that it belonged to him.

De Roche then asked him who would be responsible for the phone if it got damaged. King told him that he would accept responsibility.

King then took up his cell phone, placed it in his front pocket and returned to where he was working. He left De Roche standing a few feet away in the area of the building which used to be the open bar.

As King bent over to lift a piece of wood, he received a blow to the top of his head. He was knocked semi-unconscious and fell to his knees.

About two minutes later, King regained full consciousness and felt pain in his head, and a warm liquid running down his face. He took his hand and wiped his forehead and noticed he was bleeding.

King looked around and saw DeRoche standing next to him with the heavy