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Darnley Porter will spend the next 19 months in prison. (iWN photo)
Darnley Porter will spend the next 19 months in prison. (iWN photo)
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An Ottley Hall man was, on Monday, jailed for 17 months for inflicting actual bodily harm on his wife and two of their three minor children, and 19 months for wounding another of the children

Darnley Porter, a 36-year-old “retired mason” would, however, only serve the longer of the sentences, as they run concurrently.

He pleaded guilty to charges that on July 16, at Ottley Hall, he assaulted his wife, Linda Porter, a 39-year-old vendor, causing actual bodily harm.

He further pleaded guilty to charges that on the same day, he assaulted his 14-year-old daughter, causing actual bodily harm and committed the same offences against his son, who is 9 years old.

Porter further told the court that he was guilty of a charge that on the same date and place he unlawfully and maliciously wounded his daughter, who is 12 years old.

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According to the facts, read by Corporal Atnel Ash, Mrs, Porter and her husband were in a 21-year relationship, which included 11 years of marriage.

The couple has been separated and has been living apart for the past 24 months.

Last Friday, July 16, Mrs and Mr. Porter went to Mrs. Porter’s home in Ottley Hall.

Mr. Porter left his wife’s house and went to his home and later returned and began arguing with her, saying that someone had removed a sensor light from outside of his house.

He accused his wife’s brother of removing the sensor light and proceeded to call his wife ill names.

Mr. Porter then pushed his wife onto a cardboard and kicked her in the stomach, causing her to lose control of her bladder.

The three children went to their mother’s assistance and held on to their father.

He pushed and boxed his 14-year-old daughter in the mouth, and pushed both of the girls out of the bedroom.

Mr. Porter then took a cutlass from under the bed and swung it at his wife’s face. The cutlass missed his wife and struck their couple’s 9-year-old son on the head.

The couple’s daughter re-entered the bedroom and grabbed onto their father.

Mrs. Porter ran out of the bedroom and Mr. Porter followed her and she jumped through a window.

The older of their daughters went into her bedroom and began speaking to her grandmother on the telephone.

Mr. Porter entered the bedroom and slapped his daughter on both sides of her face with his hand.

The matter was reported to the police and detective Constable 986 Ottley and a party of officers from the Criminal Investigation Department responded to the report and conducted investigations.

Mr. Porter gave no statement. He was later charged.

When Chief Magistrate Rechanne Browne asked Mr. Porter at the Serious Offences Court, on Monday, if he had anything to say in mitigation, he said no.

When the complainants appeared before the court, Mrs. Porter told the court that their son had gone to school for an assessment.

“What beautiful girls, Mr. Porter,” the chief magistrate remarked on seeing the defendant’s daughters.

“I know that,” the defendant responded.

“What a beautiful wife,” Browne further said, and Porter again said that he knew.

The chief magistrate asked him if he knew that on the day of the incident.

Mr. Porter then told the court that he had been drinking.

“And the spirit took over?” the chief magistrate asked.

Asked how she was feeling, Mrs. Porter said, “not too bad”.

She added that she had thought the matter over and had forgiven her husband, but would like a restraining order.

Browne said that her court does not issue a restraining order.

“Wrong place,” she said.

The Family Court deals with restraining orders relating to incidents involving relatives.

The chief magistrate commented that she was certain that it was not the first time that Mr. Porter had abused his family members.

Mrs. Porter said that it is something that he always does.

The magistrate noted that the older daughter was hiding behind her sister.

“She is particularly fearful — hiding behind the other one.”

The chief magistrate asked Mrs. Porter if she had noticed her children’s demeanour and she said yes.

The chief magistrate stood the matter down for a few hours then imposed the prison sentences on Mr. Porter towards the end of the day’s proceedings.

7 replies on “Ottley Hall man jailed for beating wife, children”

  1. Hyacinth Slater Harry says:

    He needs help.The 19 months sho’uld be spent in intense counselling sessions.Thats all he knows.They think wife / girlfriend is property and most of these women accept the abuse thinking that these abusive guys actually love and care for them.
    We have to try and reach these women in these semi depressed neighborhoods and teach them ah thing or two.Soo sad…If it’s not broken now the kids will fall into the same toxic traps.

  2. Duke DeArment says:

    These family members had a traumatic experience and may still fear for their lives. Most of us have gone through a breakup and it often affects you when you think it does not. Isn’t there a mechanism for this court to refer the incident to the Family Court and get an emergency restraining order enacted for at least a 6-month period?
    We all see that there are flaws in our Justice System that is also the “Just Us” system for the elites. In countries that CALL THEMSELVES DEMOCRACIES the average person does not seem to get the protection that they should. I fear things will not change. Every country is different, (none are perfect) but some of these flaws seem to be more prevalent in SVG.
    A good candidate for PM may want to propose a mechanism that can change this system for the better. Politicians can make promises but good leaders make good changes instead of what we have been seeing lately. I wonder why some in SVG seem to be encouraged into behavior like what this man did. We see it so very often!

  3. Nathan Jolly Green says:

    People like this man should be made a spectacle of, we need to show others what happens when they behave so, a minimum of five years would have been to short a sentence.

  4. Domestic abuse is rampant in St Vincent as a result of the machismo culture that pervades the country. Men think that women are second class citizens and that they have to show who is in charge. Resorting to violence if they can’t get their own way.

  5. Hazle-Ann Ellis says:

    That sentence is just a slap on the wrist. He needs more time to consider his ways and use his hands for something more productive.

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