News

Man freed of wounding rap

AN ACCUSED MAN who explained to the jury that it was a vendetta the complainant had against him because he objected to the complainant "touching me up" has been freed by Home Circuit Court jury of wounding with intent.

He is Robert Shakespeare, 24, construction worker of Beatrice Crescent, Olympic Gardens, Kingston 11, who was accused of wounding Donovan Gozader with intent to do him grievous bodily harm.

Gozader testified that he was on his way home on October 28, 2000 when Shakespeare used a machete to chop him.

He said a month before the incident, he was in a van with a friend called Ricky when the accused begged Ricky money but did not get it. He said the accused had suggested that they should rob Ricky.

Shakespeare said in his defence that it was the complainant and two men who attacked him. He said the complainant chopped at him with a machete.

He said the other two men stabbed him (the accused) in his shoulder and back. He said he chopped the complainant in self-defence.

Shakespeare, who was represented by attorney-at-law Vincent Wellesley, related to the court that some weeks before the incident, the complainant had invited him to have drinks with some of his friends at a bar.

Touching him up

While he was at the bar, the complainant began "touching me up" and he boxed off his hand.

Shakespeare said after they left the bar he travelled in a van with the complainant and his friends. He said when he came off the back of the van, he threw a stone and it broke the glass in the van.

Justice Christine McDonald in her summation, told the jury that if they found that the prosecution did not prove its case then they should free Shakespeare.

The jury retired and found Shakespeare not guilty of the charge.