PHILIPSBURG–A 37-year-old man was sentenced Thursday to a conditional fine of US $100, on two years’ probation, for mistreatment of his ex-partner.
The fight took place May 24, 2017, at St. Maarten Medical Center (SMMC), where Lucas J. had been employed as a chef. He allegedly had grabbed the woman by her throat, had attempted to strangle her and had worked her to the ground, it was stated in the indictment. Colleagues at SMMC had to intervene to separate the two fighters.
The defendant, who lost his job at the hospital for fighting in the workplace, told the Judge the fight was about the ownership of a car. His ex-partner had given the vehicle to him, but she demanded the car and the keys back, as she wanted to give the vehicle to her daughter.
The woman had told police that “out of the blue” she was held by the neck and was choked. The defendant contested this statement and said she had started the fight and had slapped him on one of his arms. He denied that he had wanted to strangle the woman. “I only held her by the neck,” he told the Judge.
In dismissing self-defence pleadings, the Prosecutor considered mistreatment proven. As he said Aggression Replacement Training (ART) was too “far-reaching” for a first offender, he dismissed the Parole Board’s recommendation to impose this form of punishment.
As the defendant had shown remorse and considering his bad financial situation, the Prosecutor called on the Court to impose a conditional fine of US $500, on two years’ probation, instead.
“Where two people fight, there are two to be blamed,” the Judge said in lowering the amount of the conditional fine to US $100.
Source: The Daily Herald https://www.thedailyherald.sx/islands/75878-man-fined-for-mistreating-his-ex-partner-at-medical-center
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