Man remanded for Facebook-related chopping incident

Christopher Thomas, Gleaner Writer

WESTERN BUREAU:A self-professed St James businessman, accused of chopping his girlfriend during a confrontation over his Facebook page, was remanded in custody on Tuesday, October 2, when his potential surety failed to appear in court.

Winston Spence, a 29-year-old resident of Providence Heights in St James, is before the Montego Bay Resident Magistrate's Court for charges of assault occasioning bodily harm and unlawful wounding committed against 19-year-old Chante Haughton.

During his last court appearance on September 19, a bail application was denied.

In court on Tuesday, attorney-at-law Mark Trail, in another application for bail, suggested that his client could live outside of St James with a relative for the duration of the case.

"If the accused man is granted bail, I'd ask that he live elsewhere outside the parish of St James until the court decides otherwise. He says he can live in St Leonards in Westmoreland," said Trail.

But Resident Magistrate Sandria Wong-Small shot down the suggestion on the grounds that the person Spence would be staying with was not in court to verify the statement.

"I cannot make an order for this person (Spence) to live with somebody unless that person is here at court and can tell me to my face that he can live with them while this matter is pending," Wong-Small told Trail.

Allegations are that on September 3, Haughton attempted to look at a message on Spence's Facebook page. In response, Spence slapped and punched the complainant in the face then dragged her outside the house and used a machete to inflict chop wounds to both of her arms and the back of her head.

Clerk of the court Natalie Malcolm gave an update on Haughton's recovery, including photographs of the injuries the complainant had sustained.

"The complainant was discharged from hospital some days before the first court date of September 19. There are six stitches to the right hand and 10 stitches to the back of the head. Haughton is on medication and strong painkillers,"Malcolm told the court.

Spence was subsequently remanded until the next mention date of October 8, at which time the proposed surety is expected to appear in court.