An attack on a labourer dozing in a barn left the victim with wounds so bad he had to have a finger amputated, a court heard.

Clinton Harold (Flip) Webb told the Supreme Court how he awoke in the Cottage Hill, Hamilton Parish shack after one blow to the head and then tried to defend himself from a second blow.

Mr. Webb said he thought the weapon was a machete, but said he could not see the weapon properly.

He was giving evidence during the trial of Garfield Anthony Carmichael, 37, of Redkiln Road, Hamilton Parish. Carmichael pleaded not guilty to wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm on September 9, last year.

The trial, before Assistant Justice Phillip Storr, heard Crown counsel Larry Mussendon describe how the incident happened after five people gathered at the barn to relax after a working day.

Eventually three of them left, leaving the victim and the accused, he said.

Mr. Webb said he recalled an earlier argument between Carmichael and one of the residents of the barn, Wade Washington.

Later, the others left and Mr. Webb said he fell asleep.

"I started nodding off. I opened my eyes, looked up to see Garfield Carmichael come down again with a machete,'' he said. "I put my hands up to stop him. It caught two fingers on my right hand. I think it was a machete. I couldn't see properly.

"I cut my left hand. Carmichael just turned and walked away.'' The victim then said he went to a friend's house nearby to call the emergency services. He was later taken to King Edward VII Memorial Hospital and treated for his injuries, but lost the little finger on his left hand.

Marc Telemaque, defending Carmichael, suggested that the victim could not tell who had inflicted the injuries and only said it was the Carmichael because he was the only person left at the time.

He said: "You don't know who did this to you.'' But Mr. Webb replied: "I am sure. I am 100 percent positive. It was just me and him.'' He added: "No, I saw him. Of course I can tell you, he did it.'' Mr. Telemaque went on to suggest that the victim was selling drugs at the barn, and that he owed a "considerable'' amount of money to his supplier.

But Mr. Webb refuted all the suggestions.

Earlier Mr. Washington described how he had to calm Carmichael down after a dispute with him in the barn.

He said: "He picked up a rock and was planning to hit me with it, but I talked him down.'' The trial continues today.