The Summary Court assault trial of Miss Cayman Islands Universe Tiffany Conolly began on Monday, 17 Oct.
Conolly, 24, of West Bay, faces two counts of common assault, two counts of damage to property, two counts of assaulting a police officer and one count of disorderly conduct.
Her trial comes one year after the alleged assault is said to have occurred.
Under questioning from Crown counsel Sarah Lewis, the main victim (who Cayman Compass is not naming) in the incident told the court Conolly acted in a “belligerent and aggressive manner” towards him and his son during a two-minute assault which he claimed was unprovoked.
“Approximately after 10pm, Tiffany Conolly arrived at my house and began to bang loudly on the front door,” said the victim, adding that he promptly opened the door to prevent Conolly from shattering a large glass panel that made up the upper half of the door.
“Once the door was open, she slapped me in the face and in doing so removed my glasses,” he said. “She then looked me dead in the eyes and, using both hands, held my glasses up to my face bent, crumpled and threw them to the ground.”
When he bent down to retrieve the broken reading glasses, he said she punched him in the side of the head.
“It wasn’t a slap or a push, it was a full closed-hand punch to the side of my head, and I could remember feeling the sharp pain and shouting loudly,” he said. “When I got stood up she head-butted me not once but twice, punched me again, and then began to scratch at my face.”
The court heard that, prior to the assault, Conolly and the man’s son were involved in a relationship which lasted three months. On the night of the incident, she came to the house to see his son, the father told the court.
“When [my son] heard me shouting, he came to the door. He tried to restrain her and she kicked him in the [groin] really hard,” he said. “She bit him on the chest and head-butted, punched and scratched him.”
The court was told that, eventually, Conolly calmed down and both men retreated inside their home, thinking the incident was over.
“I was watching from the kitchen window when I saw her walk around the car, then she picked up her bicycle that she used to ride to my house and threw it onto the hood of my car, causing it to break my windshield,” said the father, who added he went back outside in an attempt to restrain Conolly.
“When I got outside she had a large cement block in her hand that she swung into the [rear] windshield of [my son’s] car, completely shattering it.”
The court heard that at this point police were called to the scene.
The man’s son was initially slated to give evidence during the trial; however, on the day of the proceedings he did not, but the reasons were not made public.
Conolly claims self-defence
During cross-examination, Conolly’s lawyer Oliver Grimwood advanced a different version of events, claiming it was the complainant who initiated the violence by pushing Conolly from the second step of his porch.
“You pushed Ms Conolly, causing her to fall back and injure her back, didn’t you?” asked Grimwood. “And when she was on the ground you got on top of her, held her hands, restrained her and told her she was never going to be allowed in your home again, didn’t you?”
Grimwood’s questions were met with a swift and firm refusal by the man, who told the court, “That was a completely false and fictitious narrative that never happened.”
Later in the trial, RCIPS Constable Sue-Ann Brathwaite recalled also being assaulted by Conolly.
“When I arrived on the scene, she was behaving in a very hostile and combative manner, cursing and swearing,” said Brathwaite. “She continued to use profane language and to use her body to slam against the caged area of the transport vehicle. This behaviour continued during the transport to and at the detention cells.”
Once in the lockup, Brathwaite said she asked Conolly to remove her jewellery for fear that she could use them as a weapon to injure officers or herself.
“I asked her to take off her rings, and she told me to take them off for her. When I began, she punched me in the face,” said Brathwaite.
The trial was originally slated for one day, but at the close of proceedings, the prosecution was still presenting evidence before the court. Therefore, the matter has been adjourned until 5 Dec.
Conolly’s bail was continued.
Conolly’s reign as queen uncertain
The embattled beauty queen was crowned in August, which resulted in community backlash and criticism.
Although she still holds the title, the Ministry of Tourism, which oversees the pageant, has since confirmed that Conolly was suspended from making any public appearances in her capacity as Miss Cayman Islands Universe until her trial has concluded.
The Miss Cayman Islands Committee has maintained their stance that Conolly qualified for the pageant and was a legal contender for the crown. Following the backlash, several members of the committee resigned amidst reports of bullying.
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