will serve six months in prison.

Hubert Douglas, of My Lord's Bay in Hamilton Parish, admitted last week in Magistrates' Court to unlawfully wounding Mr. Bascome and unlawful assault to Lani Camille Simmons.

Douglas changed his earlier not-guilty plea after explaining to Magistrate Edward King that he had always wanted to admit to the crime, but denied the charges based on the advice of his lawyer, Peter Farge.

The assaults took place on February 6 at Talavera Lane in St. George's.

According to the evidence presented in court, it followed an argument Douglas had with his girlfriend, Ms Simmons, over the behaviour of her four-year-old son at nursery school.

Junior Crown counsel Veronica Gordon told the court that at 4 a.m. on February 6 Douglas returned home and stood over his girlfriend who was sleeping in the living room.

He woke her up, saying: "It's you, it's you''.

He is then reported to have pulled her hair, slapped her face, and called out to her brother Che Simmons who was also in the house.

Ms Gordon said Mr. Simmons woke up and came to see what was happening and a fight between him and Douglas then ensued.

The court heard that Mr. Simmons was beaten about his body with a broom handle wielded by Douglas.

According to the evidence, Ms Simmons ran to her best friend's house, waking up both her friend and her friend's boyfriend. All three then went back to the house to check on Mr. Simmons, but on the way they met up with Douglas who returned with them.

Back in the house another argument reportedly broke out and Douglas went to the kitchen and took out a bread knife with a ten-inch blade. According to Ms Gordon, Douglas then brandished the knife about shouting: "I'll burn this house down. I'll burn this house down. I don't care who is in it.'' It was reportedly at this point that Mr. Bascome, a next door neighbour and uncle of Ms Simmons, heard the commotion and came to investigate.

On opening the door to Ms Simmons' home, the Crown said, Mr. Bascome was faced with Douglas brandishing the knife.

According to Ms Gordon, Mr. Bascome grabbed Douglas' arm in an effort to restrain him and when he released it, Douglas lashed out, drawing it across the left side of Mr. Bascome's neck and head. This caused a five-inch gash in Mr. Bascome's neck and a smaller one to his head.

Mr. Bascome was treated at King Edward VII Memorial Hospital for his wounds.

Following the altercation with Mr. Bascome, Douglas then turned his focus back to Ms Simmons. He grabbed her by her sweatshirt, dragging her over a flight of steps and into the driveway where he was reportedly still brandishing the knife, shouting: "I am going to jail. I am going to jail.'' He was later arrested.

Douglas told the court that every time he sees Mr. Bascome he apologises to him.

"I know my actions were wrong,'' he admitted. "If I could erase it all, I would. But I can't. I was really drunk. I know I cannot blame the alcohol, but things have never been the same since that night.'' One of Douglas' fingers were chopped off at some point that night, and he explained that he was so drunk he had no idea how it happened. He admitted that he was "taking out my frustrations on Mr. Bascome''.

Mr. King sentenced Douglas to six months in prison for wounding Mr. Bascome and three months for the assault on Ms Simmons. A further 28 days was added to the sentences which will run concurrently.

The 28-day sentence was handed down for a separate incident on October 9.

Douglas admitted possessing .85 grams of cannabis then for his personal use.

Douglas denied two further charges of assaulting two women in their home.

A trial date in July has been set for that case to be heard.

Kenny Bascome