Thirty-eight-year-old Roderick Carlton Butler threatened to kill his ex-wife and her sister during a row outside the Supreme Court, a Magistrate heard this week.

The Wor. Edward King was told Butler arrived in the Supreme Court lobby as his ex-wife and sister were waiting to see a judge.

He started calling his ex-wife a "whore'' and a "bitch'' and at one stage said he would "take her head off with a f*****g machete'', even though he was not carrying one.

Butler, of School's Lane, Sandys Parish, has denied using threatening behaviour, assaulting his ex-wife and her sister, possessing an offensive weapon and four counts of assaulting Police officers.

Butler's ex-wife, Gina Laverne Butler, said she went to Supreme Court on September 21 this year to see a judge in Chambers, regarding taking her three children out of the Island.

She was there with her sister, P.c. Amanda Blakeney, when Butler came in and stared at the two of them. A talented carver, he was carrying his carving tools, a staff and a wooden hammer.

"He started singing a song `my pretty woman, she is going dirty on me'. He sat on a bench saying `I am nothing but a bitch and a whore', referring to me,'' Butler's ex-wife recalled.

The two women got up to leave and Butler asked why he had not been able to see his children -- whom he had seen for 14 days in one year -- and then tried to stop the women from leaving the lobby area, the court was told.

"He kept putting his arm up and pushing and said he would take my f*****g head off with his machete,'' Butler's ex-wife said. "He also threatened to kill me and my sister. He kept telling me I was a bitch and a whore.'' She said a man then approached Butler and asked to have a word, but he told the man to take his hands off him or he would "take his lights out as well''.

"At that time he was becoming more violent,'' she said. "A few minutes later P.c. Jerry Laws came into the lobby. When he approached, my ex-husband started fighting with the officer.

"Once the fighting started I was taken into another room until they restrained him (Butler) and took him away.'' P.c. Blakeney said Butler threatened to kill both of them.

She said P.c. Laws arrived and Butler turned on him, gripping him by the neck and pushing him against the wall.

"I saw Butler knock P.c. Laws' head against a telephone,'' she recalled. "He had a firm grip on the officer's neck. By that time other officers had arrived to help.

"I was very scared. I was scared for my life and my sister's.'' P.c. Volney Welch, who was on duty in Supreme Court on the morning of the incident, said when he attempted to arrest Butler, by grabbing him from behind, he began to struggle violently.

"He started punching behind him over his left shoulder. He was punching me in the area of my cheek,'' P.c. Welch said.

The officer suffered injuries to his left elbow and shoulder, and lacerations to his left cheek and eyelid. He required hospital treatment and had to take two days off from work.

The trial is expected to resume today in Magistrates' Court. Butler is represented by Mr. Marc Telemaque, while Miss Charlene Scott and Insp. Peter Duffy appear for the prosecution.