A customer who stabbed a man in the eye at a shop, blinding him, has been ordered to serve a further eight years in prison.
Ashlie Arrindell had faced a maximum of 14 years in prison for wounding Desron John, at Fairbairne Pasture on Dec. 10, 2023.
He had been indicted and tried on the more serious charge of causing grievous bodily harm with intent to do so.
However, a nine-member jury convicted him of the lesser charge of wounding.
Justice Rickie Burnett presented the facts of the case during the sentencing hearing at the High Court in Kingstown recently.
He said that on Dec. 10, 2023, around 9 p.m., John was at Mama’s Ship in Fairbairne Pasture when Arrindel entered the shop with another man nicknamed Bess Dressed.
They both appeared to be intoxicated.
Arrindell initially claimed that he had lost $50 in the shop, which the shopkeeper denied.
After leaving and returning, Arrindell bought sardines and crackers and borrowed a container from Mark Delplesche to eat.
The two men made a mess while eating, which caused Delplesche to take away the bowl from Arrindell.
While Bess Dressed cleaned up, Arrindell followed Delplesche behind the bar and subsequently returned.
John asked Arrindell to leave the shop. He did so but returned holding a pair of scissors in his closed fist.
John again told Arrindell to leave and blocked Arrindell from entering the shop.
Immediately after, Arrindell swung his right hand and struck John in the left eye with the scissors.
Arrindell felt a sharp pain and ran to a pipe at the back of the shop to wash his eye. He could no longer see from that eye and felt blood running from it.
He was taken to Milton Cato Memorial Hospital, where he underwent surgery on the left eye.
In the meantime, a report was made to the Calliaqua Police Station. The officers who responded met Arrindell bareback near another shop, with a grey T-shirt stained with apparent blood on the ground in front of him.
Police found a pair of surgical scissors with apparent blood stains on Arrindell’s person and a purple pair of scissors in his rear back pants pocket.
Disbelief, shock and terror
In a victim impact statement, John said that the situation felt unreal to him, adding that he had been in disbelief, shocked and terrified upon being stabbed in the eye.
He informed the social worker that he once took off his glasses while working at a construction site as he could not see properly.
This caused him to injure his right eye on a nail.
John said this incident has caused him to have to live with his father and become dependent on him for preparing meals, doing laundry and most things, making him feel like he is a burden to his family.
John’s circumstances have caused him not to be able to adequately take care of his 16-year-old daughter, his only child, as he used to.
When he is walking, he does not recognise people, which frustrates him, as he often has to explain his situation.
He said he was shocked when the doctor told him he was blind.
The report said John has to undergo another surgery but is unable to due to financial constraints.
He must adjust his life because of this incident. His confidence has dropped and he is afraid to approach women like he used to because he is ashamed of his eye injury.
He now has to wear shades to block out sunlight.
Because of losing his eye, John does not walk as fast as he used to and has to exercise more care in his daily activities. He is still in debt for medical expenses and has other outstanding debts.
‘loss of an eye has a significant impact’
Justice Burnett said that perhaps other consequences might follow for Arrindell in addition to the criminal punishment, an apparent reference to the fact that John could sue for compensation.
The judge said the victim impact statement tells it all, adding that human beings are born with two eyes and use them for everything we do.
“The loss of an eye has a significant impact on those who experience it as well as family, friends, and society,” Justice Burnett said.
He pointed out that the VC wonders about his ability to maintain his independence, to be able to pay for medical bills, employment, and provide for himself and his family.
The judge also noted that a weapon was used to inflict the injury.
He noted that the maximum sentence is 14 years, and established a starting point of 75% or 10 years and six months.
Aggravating factors of the offence were that it occurred in the presence of others and was committed while under the influence of alcohol.
The judge said that based on the jury’s verdict, there was a lack of premeditation, which was a mitigating factor.
He concluded that the aggravating features outweighed the mitigating and reduced the sentence by one year.
The judge found no aggravating features of the offender, adding that his good character was a mitigating feature.
Justice Burnett concluded that the mitigating features outweighed the aggravating and reduced the sentence by three years.
Arrindell had spent four months and 25 days on remand.
When this was deducted from his sentence, he was ordered to spend a further 8 years, one month and six days in prison.
Counsel Devon Bute represented the Crown while J Lany Williams represented Arrindell.