Bus driver Edison Kurt Pemberton has been sentenced to 4 years and seven months in jail for grievous bodily harm on his girlfriend Bianca Blanchard in November 2O15.
Blanchard was forced to undergo surgery at princess Margaret hospital following the cutlass attack at her workplace by the accused Pemberton who lived with her in Pt. Mitchel.
According to official reports, on November 23, 2015, following earlier events at their home in Point Michel, Pemberton went to Blanchard’s workplace and asked for the key to the house which she had received from him that morning. She refused and made reference a previous altercation where Pemberton had damaged her furniture in her house and the matter had gone to court where he was requested to pay a $10,000 fine to Blanchard.
She then called the Court section to verify if he had paid and was told no. She reminded him that if he did not behave she would call them to arrest him. She also told him that she would get the police and have him come for his belongings.
Displeased, Pemberton told Blanchard that he would be back and returned later with a concealed cutlass and said to her, “you want me to go to jail…I will kill you and go jail.”
He then began attacking Blanchard with the cutlass making several swings at her neck but she defended her neck by putting up her both arms and started screaming.
Pemberton then left and went to the Roseau Police station and gave himself up to the police.
Among her injuries were a 20-cm wound to right hand; a 9-cm wound to right hand; a 6-and a 5-cm wound to left forearm among many other injuries.
The doctor said that she will never get 100 percent use of the hands again, both are now deformed and she is doing continuous therapy.
Pemberton pleaded guilty to grievous bodily harm earlier this year before the judge ordered a social inquiry report.
Defense lawyer Wayne Norde’ asked the court to exercise leniency claiming his client was remorseful.
But Justice Victoria Charles Clark said the attack was inflicted with a cutlass and it was premeditated
She deducted time for the guilty plea and imposed a four year seven month sentence
Meantime, the high court criminal session resumes on Monday.
