By FARRAH JOHNSON
Tribune Staff Reporter
fjohnson@tribunemedia.net
A 29-year-old man who swung a cutlass at another man during an argument was put on probation yesterday for one year.
Police arrested Aldrico Miller after he assaulted his former prison mate with the gardening tool on January 1.
He owned up to the offence during a hearing before Senior Magistrate Derence Rolle Davis.
The prosecution said that morning, Shannon Key was standing in his yard washing his sister’s car when he noticed Miller singing lyrics from a reggae song while walking past his residence.
The court was told that Mr Key was familiar with the accused as they had both spent time in prison. The court was told that that day Miller approached Mr Key and asked for a favour.
When Mr Key refused, Miller left the yard only to return with a cutlass which he swung at the complainant. The court was told that Miller then picked up a few rocks and threw them at Mr Key. His actions caused Mr Key to receive scrape marks on his chest and left arm. After Mr Key filed an official complaint, Miller was arrested. In an interview with police at a nearby station, Miller said he knew Mr Key from prison and claimed he happened to be through the corner where he lived because he was visiting people who also lived in that area. Miller said while he did walk past Mr Key’s house singing the reggae song, it was Mr Key who confronted him.
Miller told the magistrate that the cutlass he swung at Mr Key was in the complainant’s yard and he only picked it up to defend himself. He claimed Mr Key confronted him when he walked past so he grabbed the gardening tool and told him to “come from around” him.
After listening to his explanation, Magistrate Rolle Davis placed Miller on probation for one year. He told him if he appeared before the courts within that timeframe for any other offence, he would be sentenced to six months in prison.
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