wounding his wife in a February machete attack and sentenced to one year in jail.

A Supreme Court jury took close to three hours to render their verdict and acquit Carlton St. Aubyn Byfield of the two more serious charges of attempted murder and unlawful wounding with intent to do grievous bodily harm.

The jury -- by a margin of nine to three -- found him guilty of the lesser charge, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.

Byfield, addressing Puisne Judge Vincent Meerabux before sentencing, expressed remorse for his actions but showed little emotion.

Calling it a sad case Mr. Justice Meerabux said he must send a message that the use of machetes on other persons must stop. He called the attack on 30-year-old Sherrylynn Byfield "disproportionate'' before sending Byfield off to Westgate for the year.

Medical evidence entered at the eight-day trial indicated Ms Byfield suffered deep lacerations across her front and back, wrists, and her left thumb was 90-percent amputated when Byfield pulled a machete from his waistband and attacked her on February 8 at the couple's Victoria Terrace apartment in Pembroke.

She received two 12 and 15 gashes on the back of her head, a ten-centimetre cut on her forehead, and suffered heavy bleeding as well.

Defence lawyer Archie Warner argued throughout that Byfield was provoked by his wife, who flaunted other men in front of him and physically abused him.

"He was pushed to the breaking point,'' Mr. Warner told the jury in his final summation.

Crown counsel Charlene Scott told the jury Byfield clearly intended to cause harm to his wife when he drew the machete from his waistband. The jury -- by their verdict -- rejected that.

In sentencing submissions Ms Scott requested a custodial sentence between 18 months to two-and-a-half years.

Mr. Warner implored the Court to show mercy, asking for a non-custodial sentence and a fine. He pointed to the Byfield's otherwise clean record and the fact that even the victim testified his attack was "out of character.'' Before passing down sentence Mr. Justice Meerabux acknowledged Byfield's "good character and clean record,'' but told him: "The use of machetes in this society must be stamped out.''