Man jailed for assaulting partner and bystander who tried to help

A man was sentenced to a combined eight months’ imprisonment after pleading guilty to multiple charges arising from a domestic violence incident and a subsequent cutlass attack on another person who intervened to stop the assault.

Dwayne Bishop appeared before the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, where he admitted to assaulting his partner, Shello Zamette, a breach of the peace to provoke her, and assault causing actual bodily harm to Deon Cappell, who was attempting to rescue the woman during the altercation.

According to the prosecution, Bishop and Zamette have been in a relationship for approximately four years and share a child. On the night of December 21, Zamette reportedly attended a staff party. At around 23:00h, Bishop arrived to pick her up, and an argument ensued, and she refused to go with him

The argument escalated, and Bishop began slapping Zamette about her face. It was reported that Zamette repeatedly told him that she did not want to go with him and attempted to resist.

Cappell, who was passing the area in his car, witnessed the incident, stopped, and confronted Bishop, questioning why he was assaulting the woman and urged him to stop.

Despite the intervention, Bishop allegedly continued his aggressive behaviour.

Cappell told the court that during that time, Zamette began pleading with him and bystanders that she did not want to go with Bishop. He said he approached the couple and attempted to prevent Bishop from further assaulting Zamette and placing her in the car.

The man said Bishop forced the woman into his car and drove away. He said that he and two other cars drove behind him in a bid to prevent him from doing anything further to the woman, until he eventually pulled over.

“I told him to stop…I did not know he had a cutlass”, he said.

Cappell said Bishop pulled out a cutlass and struck him across his back, causing swelling and injury. Cappell explained that he intervened solely to protect Zamette from further harm. After being attacked, Cappell left the scene and, while making his way to the police station, encountered police ranks. He reported the matter, and Bishop was subsequently arrested.

During the hearing, Zamette addressed the court and stated that this was the first time Bishop had physically assaulted her. She told the magistrate that Bishop slapped her twice and that the incident did not result in injuries requiring medical treatment. Although she had obtained a medical, she said it was not used.

The magistrate questioned Zamette closely, cautioning her about the importance of honesty in court, particularly in domestic violence matters. Zamette maintained that she was not lying and that the incident escalated beyond what she expected.

“It wasn’t supposed to get so far”, she said.

In sentencing Bishop, Magistrate Faith McGusty underscored that domestic violence remains a serious and widespread issue and that the court must send a strong message to deter such conduct. She also pointed out that Cappell intervened only to stop Bishop from doing what he was not supposed to do.

Addressing Bishop directly, the magistrate advised him to reflect on his actions while incarcerated and to make meaningful changes. “The man only intervened to prevent you from doing what you should not have been doing,” she stated.

For the assault and breach of the peace involving Zamette, Bishop was sentenced to two months’ imprisonment. For assault causing actual bodily harm to Cappell by striking him with a cutlass, Bishop was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment.