(CMR) Jonathan Woodhouse (29), who was charged with Wounding with Intent to do Grievous Bodily Harm after he attacked a man at Carib Café last May, on the same night Randy Robinson was murdered, has been sentenced to 13 years in prison.
Woodhouse was arrested along with Shaun Jackson, who has since been sentenced to 31 years in prison for the murder of Randy Robinson.
Justice Marlene Carter said the starting point for sentencing was twelve (12) years in custody. However, aggravating factors result in an increase to the starting point by eighteen (18) months, taking the sentence to thirteen and a half (13 ½) years in custody. Taking into account mitigating circumstances, the sentence was reduced by six (6) months to 13 years in prison
“The Defendant’s actions on 6 May constitute very serious offending. This Defendant armed himself before entering a crowded public bar at which a birthday party was in progress,” Justice Carter noted.
According to the sentencing judgment, the victim and his wife had gone to Carib Café on the night of 5 May 2023 to attend a birthday party. As they made their way towards Carib Café from their car, the victim said something about celebrating his birthday as it was his birthday month, and he raised his arms and, in a loud voice, shouted out, “Boop! Boop! Boop!”
Woodhouse and two other men were walking in their direction when this happened. It appears, from the evidence presented at trial, that Woodhouse or one of the others with him felt that the man had disrespected him. Woodhouse then went back to the car in which he and his friends had arrived and armed himself with a large-bladed weapon or knife.
The victim and his wife continued to Carib Café, where they spoke to Randy Robinson, who said something about knowing those guys, Woodhouse and his friends, and that they were cool.
However, during their time at the venue, Shaun Jackson appeared at different points to be watching and following them. Jackson eventually rushed towards the man in the bar area within Carib Café.
The victim ran and attempted to pull a chair between himself and Jackson and then exited the bar into an area next to the DJ on a small stage immediately outside the bar. During this time, Woodhouse, still armed with the large bladed weapon or knife, moved toward the stage area, going after the victim.
It is at this point that the man was attacked on the stage and was injured. He fell from the stage and had to be helped by his wife. He was taken to the George Town Hospital, where it was revealed he had received a 10 cm wound to the right forearm on the outer aspect of the right elbow, exposing the elbow; a 14 cm wound to the left bicep muscle, cutting through the muscle on the left upper arm, a 2 cm superficial skin-deep laceration to the left knee and 4 cm superficial scratches to the left side of the back.
Woodhouse, the father of two children, ages 9 and 6, reportedly has 10 previous convictions recorded against him. In May 2020 when he was sentenced to 26 months’ imprisonment for Wounding with Intent. In February 2021 he was convicted of two offenses of Causing Fear or Provocation of Violence for which he was sentenced to 6 months imprisonment for each offense, suspended for 2 years concurrently.
Justice Marlene Carter, in handing down the sentence, said that higher culpability was present with the use of a weapon, a large knife, to inflict injury. She also noted the fact that Woodhouse played a joint leading role in the commission of this offense and that there was a significant degree of planning in the context of the offense. The co-defendant, Jackson, was armed before he arrived at Carib Café, while Woodhouse armed himself directly after the outburst by the victim, going back to the car to secure a weapon.
She said aggravating factors included the location of the offense as this offense was committed in a public place crowded with patrons and in the presence of others, especially the wife of the victim.
She also noted that there was an attempt to dispose of evidence by the Defendants after the incident, with the knife and clothing worn by the defendants not recovered. She also noted Woodhouse's previous convictions, which included for violence.
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