A man from Jamaica working in Chatham-Kent on a temporary work visa has been sentenced to 60 days in jail and 18 months probation for assaulting his girlfriend.
Andre Forbes has been in Canada for nine years and this is his second domestic assault conviction on his girlfriend. They live together and have a son.
Forbes was on probation for his other assault in 2018 when this latest assault happened. The court was told Forbes had been drinking alcohol that day and attacked his girlfriend and their son when he came home. The court heard he choked the woman when she refused to get him a towel after his bath and hit their son in the ankle with a plastic golf club when the child stood up for his mother.
The mother grabbed her son and, while naked, ran outside to safety. She had just got out of the bath herself and Forbes pulled off her towel during the assault. The neighbours called 911 to report a naked woman yelling for help.
Forbes could be deported back to Jamaica as a result of this latest assault conviction. An immigration hearing is upcoming but a date is unknown.
Justice Paul Kowalyshyn said Forbes needs counselling and should take anger management classes. The judge also said he probably scarred his son for life because the child witnessed the entire assault.
Part of Forbes' probation is to stay away from the mother and the child and not to carry any weapons.
The mother and the son are not being named to protect their identities and dignity.
The defence was looking for no jail time. Prosecutor Scott Kerwin was looking for 45-60 days in jail.
"This case is serious enough it deserves 60 days," said Justice Kowalyshyn.