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Drunken sailor admits Front Street assault

A British sailor has been fined $1,900 for attacking a married couple on Front Street after a heavy drinking session.

David Green, 24, pleaded guilty to two counts of assault and one charge of damaging a motorcycle and helmet — adding that he did not remember anything of the incident at the weekend because of his highly intoxicated state.

This morning, Magistrates’ Court heard that Alfred Chapingidza and Morenike Agunbiade were on a cycle at 10.38pm on Saturday, heading east along Front Street.

Ms Agunbiade stopped near the King Street junction to wait for oncoming traffic to pass before turning right into a parking area, at which point the defendant came up behind the couple and swung a punch at them.

Although Green did not connect at the first attempt, he followed through to shove them, forcing Ms Agunbiade to drop the cycle in the middle of the road — injuring her knee and causing damage to both the vehicle and a helmet.

The defendant then ran away, but police officers stopped him shortly afterwards, and Mr Chapingidza and Ms Agunbiade identified him as their assailant.

In court, Green expressed remorse for the incident, claiming that it was “very out of character”.

The Hampshire resident revealed that his ship had crossed the Atlantic and was on its way to the Bahamas, when the vessel was forced to stop in Bermuda due to an engine fire.

He and his colleagues took the opportunity to blow off some steam on the island, but this led to him becoming severely inebriated.

Magistrate Khamisi Tokunbo fined Green $800 for each assault and $300 for the damage to the motorcycle and helmet — ordering him to pay in full immediately or face 30 days in prison in default.

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