Woman fined for cutting man

A Christmas party proved costly for a ?model citizen? who attacked a man with a bottle.

A court heard how Tanya Lee Carmichael-Symonds left the victim needing hospital treatment to have several pieces of glass removed from his head. She was convicted of wounding Mark Anthony Lewis-Tuzo ? a worker at a party who tried to break up a confrontation ? and was fined $1,000.

Before sentencing, Carmichael-Symonds told magistrate Khamisi Tokunbo of her voluntary work in the community and said she had been a ?model citizen?. But Mr. Tokunbo said violence would not be tolerated by the court and added: ?Good people make mistakes and role models slip up.?

Crown counsel Graveney Bannister said violence flared at a party at a golf club in Southampton on December 17, last year. Carmichael-Symonds, 39, of Whaling Hill, Southampton, was spotted in the car park having a heated row with a man about her teenage son.

Mr. Bannister said when Mr. Lewis Tuzo intervened, the defendant smashed a bottle on a wall, and then rushed towards the man she had been rowing with.

Mr. Lewis-Tuzo put himself between the two in a bid to calm the situation. But the court heard that when his back was turned he felt a series of blows to the back of his head, suffering two head cuts, one of which contained several glass fragments.

Mr. Tokunbo said although it was a case of the one word against the other, he believed Mr. Lewis-Tuzo?s version of events.

The defendant, who told the court how she had got an English degree from Bermuda College and was studying law part-time, said she was ?appalled? and that it was she who had been assaulted ? yet found herself in the dock.

But the Magistrate added: ?Violence is prevalent in this community and the court has to send the message it will not be tolerated.?

He warned the defendant if she did not pay the fine within one month she faced being imprisoned for 100 days.

Stern warning for drinks driver

A drunk driver from Pembroke could be sent to prison next year if he is found guilty of repeating the same offence again within two years.

John A. Woods, 20, of Cedar Park, Pembroke pleaded guilty in Magistrates? Court yesterday of driving drunk on Bermudiana Road on October 9. Crown Counsel Graveney Bannister said Woods was seen swerving and driving at a very high speed at 1.45 a.m. when his eyes were glazed, speech was slurred and he was unsteady on his feet.

Woods was fined an additional $100 for driving without a licence on April 22. However, Woods denied a second charge of driving drunk at Black Watch Pass on May 11 and also pleaded not guilty of an alternate charge of driving with over the legal limit ? 80 milligrams of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood ? at the same date and time.

Senior Magistrate Archibald Warner said in the ?unlikely? event Woods was convicted his penalty would be higher, however, Woods said it was a matter of mistaken identity because Police arrested the wrong man. Woods was also released on $1,000 bail to appear for trial on January 19.

Cycle rider in hospital after collision

A 21-year-old Sandy?s man who was involved in a road traffic collision Wednesday evening is in critical but stable condition at the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital.

It appears that the young man was travelling west on his bike when he collided with a car travelling in the opposite direction at the junction of Heathcote Hill and Sound View Road in Sandys.

Apparently the car was turning onto Sound View Road when the accident happened.

Police arrived at the scene of the accident around 8.40 p.m. and said that both vehicles were ?extensively damaged? in the accident. The 60-year-old driver of the car was not injured but the young man on the bike sustained serious head injuries and was rushed to the hospital.

Police are appealing for any witnesses to contact P.c. Nicole Smith on 295-0011.

Probation for stealing from grandmother

A teenager who stole $1,000 from his grandmother to buy drugs has not been jailed.

At his first appearance at Magistrates? Court, Senior Magistrate Archibald Warner told Stefan Durrant he would have been punished by whipping if it was still legal.

The 18-year-old ? who was yesterday handed a two-year probation order for the scam ? stole cheques from Frances Durrant to buy cannabis, the court heard last month.

The defendant?s mother was trustee of the grandmother?s bank account, and Durrant took two cheques from his mother?s bedroom.

He was arrested by Police after making two $500 cheques out to himself and presenting them at a supermarket. He had forged his grandmother?s signature, the court was told.

The defendant had admitted stealing two Bank of Bermuda cheques between June 1 and 23. He also admitted forging his grandmother?s signature on June 19 and 23, presenting a $500 cheque on each occasion at the Market Place store made payable to himself, and of obtaining goods with intent to defraud.

Durrant, of King Alfred Terrace, Dockyard, also pleaded guilty to possessing cannabis, and sentencing was adjourned for reports at last month?s hearing.

After reading the reports, and giving Durrant probation, Mr. Warner yesterday said the teenager should not think he had got off lightly. He said the sentence was a chance for him to rehabilitate.