By LEANDRA ROLLE
Tribune Staff Reporter
lrolle@tribunemedia.net
A 36-year-old man who admitted to stabbing his child’s mother in the head with a fork was sentenced to nine months in prison yesterday.
Geno Ferguson appeared before Magistrate Algernon Allen, Jr, charged with three counts of assault with a dangerous weapon, one count each of causing harm and issuing threats of death for actions he committed on October 30.
Police said Ferguson assaulted and intentionally caused harm to the woman by stabbing her in the head with a fork and trying to run her over with his vehicle.
At yesterday’s hearing, Ferguson pleaded guilty to the offence, telling the court he was remorseful for his actions.
In response, Magistrate Allen said while he took into consideration that the accused pleaded guilty from the onset and accepted full responsibility, it still did not excuse his actions.
He also noted that the offences Ferguson committed were serious ones that the court could not overlook.
He also said the court wanted to send a strong message against domestic violence.
As a result, Ferguson was sentenced to six months at the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services for the assault charges and three months for causing harm.
Magistrate Allen noted that the sentences would run concurrently and also fined him $500 for threatening to kill his child’s mother. Failure to pay the fine would result in an additional month in prison.
Ferguson was told he has the right to appeal the sentences within seven days.
In a separate matter, Chavette Beneby, 22, also appeared in court yesterday.
Police alleged that the accused assaulted and caused harm with a knife to Jomas Hepburn, Kenique Miller and Alexander Johnson. The court was told that the incident stemmed from a traffic dispute.
During her hearing before Assistant Chief Magistrate Subusola Swain, the 22-year-old pleaded not guilty to the offences and the matter was adjourned to January 18.
Magistrate Swain initially told Beneby she would be denied bail, but later granted it at $6,000 with one surety. The magistrate also ordered for the accused to be electronically tagged.
Also arraigned in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday was Kingsley Hanna, 20.
Hanna is accused of threatening Daeshonique Dean with harm on November 28.
However, the 20-year-old has denied the charges and the case was adjourned to February 1 for trial.
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