Man breaks down in court

Bernard Chance displayed mixed emotions in court on Tuesday, at one point crying while giving evidence and, in another instance, displaying behaviour that almost got his bail revoked.

Chance appeared at the Kingstown Magistrate’s Court, charged with assault and damage to property. The virtual complainant, Lolita Ralph, claims that Chance attacked her behind the General Post Office in Kingstown after an argument.

“I try to caution she… no violence, I went to speak to she about stuff she was saying about my sister,” Chance told senior magistrate Ricky Burnett.

He said that when he approached Ralph, she became aggressive and went and got her boyfriend and both began beating him.

“Two against one is murder…,” Chance told the court.

While giving his version of what happened, Chance began crying, stressing that the circumstances that led to the confrontation were more than enough to anger anyone. He, however, stressed that he did not hit Ralph and he was the one that had to be taken for medical attention after the incident.  

Giving evidence, a police officer said on the day in question, he saw Chance and Ralph scuffling with each other and he separated them. He said that when he separated them, Ralph hit Chance with a piece of metal, damaging his hand. The police officer said he told Ralph to stop when she tried to hit Chance again and he took both parties to the Central Police Station.

The court also heard that Chance did not ask for a medical injury form, but Ralph did, and filled it out and returned it to the police, resulting in Chance being charged.

After hearing evidence from both parties, magistrate Burnett said that he would deliver his verdict on Tuesday, March 27.