to wounding and was promptly imprisoned for three months by a magistrate.

With a carry-on luggage bag packed tight with clothes slung over his shoulder, 28-year-old Derrick Nickki Mackeba Gibbons thanked Magistrate Edward King for being lenient.

Gibbons, of Controversy Lane, Mills Creek, had admitted slapping Stephen Mullen with the broad side of a machete, slashing two fingers and stabbing him in the back with a small knife.

But Gibbons' claim of being provoked by being called a "nigger'' fell on deaf ears because Mr. King noted the claim only came in his third interview with Police three weeks after the incident at a boat on Controversy Lane on December 13.

Gibbons had pleaded guilty "with an explanation''. "Well, Mr. King, this man called me a nigger,'' Gibbons explained. "Yes, I'm young, but I wasn't going to stand for that.'' "What colour was he?'' Mr. King asked Gibbons.

"He is a white-skinned man,'' he replied. "I told the cops he's got Hitler and Nazi tattoos on his arm. If I'm lying, bring him in court and let him show his arms.'' Duty counsel Elizabeth Christopher spoke up for Gibbons and suggested that his explanation was reasonable provocation but Mr. King rejected this, simply saying: "Lets hear the facts.'' Crown counsel Cindy Clarke told the court Gibbons and Mr. Mullen were sitting on a dock on Controversy Lane smoking cannabis when Mr. Mullen dropped the hand-made cigarette.

It rolled into the water but the pair looked about the dock with a flashlight to no avail.

Gibbons became "hostile'', shouting he would "kill somebody'' and went to his nearby apartment to get a machete.

He returned waving it in the air and threatened to not only "chop up'' Mr.

Mullen but two other men that were on a nearby boat.

Gibbons swung the machete about and left a deep gouge on the bow of the boat.

The victim sought refuge in the boat's cabin but Gibbons followed and eventually swung the machete at him striking twice with the broad side.

At that point "eight to ten men'' appeared on the boat, surrounding Gibbons and Mr. Mullen and separating the other two men, warning them not to become involved.

Meanwhile Mr. Mullen had grabbed the machete and held on, until Gibbons produced a three inch knife, stabbing him in the upper left shoulder area and slashing two fingers.

Gibbons turned himself in to Police the following day. He immediately admitted the offence, blaming it on being "intoxicated''.

"I will say that I'm sorry your honour,'' he told Mr. King. "I don't remember stabbing him. I plead guilty to the machete. If you know the area, it's tight down there. I just leave my tools around.

"But I didn't know anything about anybody getting stabbed. I couldn't take being called a nigger. It was wrong to overreact but it happened out of anger.

I'm ready to face my punishment.'' "That's what I call a man!'' Mr. King said. "A man is a person who admits that they were wrong and stands up to take their licks.'' But Mr. King continued. "I do not believe your claim that you were called a nigger. The use of weapons must be deterred. I impose a term of three months in prison.''