British national sentenced to 22 months for assaulting girlfriend

A 51-year-old man has been sentenced to 22 months in prison for abusing his girlfriend while being under the influence of drugs and alcohol on the first night of their vacation in Mustique.

What was expected to be an enjoyable, relaxing time ended prematurely in screams and fright after Jason Kydd, a resident of England became violent towards his girlfriend while she was asleep.

Kydd appeared at the Serious Offences Court on March 10, where he was charged that on March 8, at Mustique, he did assault [named female] of England causing her actual bodily harm. He was also charged that without lawful excuse he damaged two dining room benches with a value of US$4000, the property of the Noel Family of the United States of America, and was reckless as to whether such property would be damaged.

Kydd pleaded guilty to the charges and was remanded in custody until March 17, when Chief Magistrate Rechanne Browne handed down the sentence.

According to the facts, on Wednesday March 8, at about 10:30 a.m PC 166 Cato was on duty at the Mustique Police Station when she received a telephone call from the Mustique Company security stating that there was a disturbance at a villa and the assistance of the police was needed. On her arrival, the police officer met the manager of the villa and she informed the officer that the defendant and his girlfriend were staying at the villa as guests.

The girlfriend is a relative of the manager and the couple are both British nationals who were on vacation.The manager extended the courtesy to them by allowing them both to enjoy the island of Mustique as well as the multi million dollar property.

The couple arrived on March, 7, 2023. They went to dinner later that evening and returned to their cottage at about 11:00 p.m. On their return, they were listening to music and having alcoholic drinks. Afterwards, the girlfriend indicated to the defendant that she was tired and was going to bed.

Kydd continued drinking and smoking. While the complainant was asleep she was awakened by a slap and punches about her body. She began screaming and was running and shouting for help.

However, no one heard her. The woman then began to plead with the defendant to stop abusing her but he continued.

She then managed to escape by running outside but she was caught and dragged into the cottage where Kydd continued to beat her.

She managed to escape a second time and hid in a storage room on the compound where she slept for the night.

At about 6:00 a.m the woman went back to the cottage where she met the defendant sleeping. He was awakened by her presence and he started beating her again.

She screamed for help and employees who were on the compound went to her assistance.

The defendant became very annoyed and he started throwing furniture and other items from the cottage over an embankment. As a result, two dining room benches were damaged.

PC Cato met him and informed him of the allegations that had been made against him. When he was cautioned he said, “officer me bin frustrated and intoxicated because I didn’t know where [my girlfriend] went, I think she gone to meet a man somewhere, that is why I reacted so .”

Kydd was then arrested on suspicion and the complainant made a report at the police station.

Handing down the sentence on Friday, the Chief Magistrate said the consequences of the offence fell into category two, while the seriousness fell into the highest category.

She then started at a prison sentence of two years and five months.

When she highlighted the aggravating factors, Browne found that the offence was committed while the defendant was under the influence of alcohol and drugs, and she also noted the vulnerability of the complainant as she was being abused, and also the multiple incidents of abuse that took place.

There were no mitigating factors of the offence, and four months were added to the sentence.

Aggravating of the offender was that he had a previous conviction of a similar nature. There were no mitigating factors for him and one month was added to his sentence.

He pleaded guilty, and this resulted in a one year and three months discount from his sentence.

This brought his sentence down to 22 months for assault.

Kydd was also ordered to pay compensation of US$4000 forthwith for damage to property, in default of which he will spend nine months in prison. The sentences will run concurrently.