Chad Jonathan Anglin, 28, was sentenced to three years imprisonment on 3 November after admitting he hit one man in the head with a baseball bat and cut another man with a knife after smashing his car window with a bottle.
Justice Charles Quin told Anglin these were particularly nasty offences and the court had a duty to protect members of the public.
However, the judge took into account Anglin’s guilty pleas, apologies to the victims and expressions of remorse.
Earlier, Defence Attorney Ben Tonner pointed out that, although Anglin had previous convictions, none involved violence.
Crown Counsel Nicole Petit presented the facts for both offences.
The first assault causing actual bodily harm occurred on 11 December, 2007, outside a West Bay restaurant.
A patron was speaking with friends when he heard Anglin say he felt like cutting up someone. The patron said he was going to move his vehicle before he got ‘caught up with those idiots’. While driving off, he saw Anglin throw a bottle at his window, which smashed.
He got out of the vehicle and went after Anglin. They both fell to the ground and an onlooker parted them. The patron then returned to the restaurant and collected his food. He got into his vehicle and was about to leave the scene when Anglin reached into the car with a knife. He blocked Anglin’s hand, but was cut over his left eye.
The man drove to the West Bay Police Station and then received attention at George Town Hospital. A 2.5 centimetre laceration was sutured and glued. There was a 1.5 centimetre laceration over the eyelid. He was given antibiotics and pain medication. Although serious, the injuries were not permanent.
The second incident occurred in the early hours of 3 May, 2008. Police received a call from Anglin’s aunt, who reported that he and her boyfriend were in a dispute.
Anglin used a baseball bat to hit the other man in the leg and jab him in the face. When the other man tried to leave, Anglin again hit him in the face with the bat as he pushed it through the car window.
The court was shown photographs of injuries to the man’s face, hand and leg.
Mr. Tonner said Anglin’s account of the first incident was somewhat different, but accepted he did have the knife and did cause the injuries. He had said he was intoxicated at the time.
In the second incident, Anglin believed he was intervening on behalf of his female relative; he thought she had been beaten up by her boyfriend. He confronted the man about his behaviour and resorted to picking up the bat that was near by. He now accepted his behaviour was out of order.
Mr. Tonner asked the court to take into account Anglin’s ‘unfortunate upbringing. His parents were unable to raise him in a satisfactory manner and he was introduced to the drug culture that surrounded the family – he began using drugs at an early age.’
Anglin addressed the court prior to the sentence being handed down, asking the court to help him achieve his goals. He said he had been dealt a bad hand in life, but remained determined to achieve his life goal of passing college.
‘I have to admit I have a problem …my problem is my anger,’ he told the court. ‘My whole life has been spent in some institution; some court; some jail cell; away from home and even when I was home, it was abusive,’ he said.
Those places had taught him to be violent to get attention and to command respect, he explained.
‘If I keep this up, sooner or later someone will end up dead,’ he said. ‘If this don’t stop, I’m going to end up dead or someone else is going to end up dead.’
Because of the long time he has spent in jail, Anglin, weeping, said he had never been able to spend a birthday with either of his two daughters.
‘Given the right assistance and encouragement, I can be a productive member of society rather than a destructive member of society,’ he said.
Based on what he had said in court, Anglin obviously has some level of intelligence, the judge said. ‘You are a young man, you are healthy; you could do something with your life,’ he told Anglin.
The defendant replied ‘I went through prison for a long time and it’s the easiest thing to do — to lie down in a cell and just be no one.’
But he told the judge he understood he had to accept whatever judgment was passed against him. ‘I’m persistent and determined enough to accept this and keep my head up and get through,’ he said.
Justice Quin told Anglin he had to learn to control his anger.
He gave him two years for the first offence and one year for the second, with the sentences to run consecutive. ‘That is giving you a chance Mr. Anglin,’ Justice Quin said. ‘Continue with that attitude and make the most of the educational opportunities.’
‘You are bright, healthy; you have your children – do what you have to do so you can help them when you get out (of jail).’
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