Man had knife and hatchet to confront love rival

A 22-year-old man who took a knife and hatchet to a bar to confront a love rival was today given a suspended prison sentence.

Zacchaeus Rawlins of Sandys appeared in court in January where he was charged with possession of offensive weapons, namely a knife and a hammer with a hatchet on the end.

At that hearing, the court heard he was standing in the Pier Six parking lot at 10:30pm on January 28 when he was observed by security officers for Bermuda Bistro.

The officer saw Rawlins walking towards him carrying an object in each of his hands. As Rawlins got closer, the officer saw there was a knife in one hand and a hammer with a hatchet attached to it in the other.

The security officer stopped Rawlins before he could go inside the bar and held him by his arms.

Rawlins said to him: “My girlfriend kissed and hugged up some guy. I want to split his head.”

Other security guards then came over and both items were removed from his hand. Police were called and when they arrived, Rawlins was arrested and the items seized.

In a police interview, Rawlins said : “I just wanted to scare her”, referring to his fiancée. 

Today, his lawyer Nancy Viera told the court her client had no previous convictions and was employed as a painter. She also maintained the tools he had were for his work.

Mitigating for Rawlins, she said: “He ultimately pled guilty when the charges were put to him. This is a case where the court should consider a sentence that isn’t prison.”

She also said there is no likelihood of Rawlins reoffending.

Sentencing Rawlins, Senior Magistrate Archibald Warner said he “carefully” considered all the circumstances in the case.

“The law is on this is quite clear. This offence carries on the books a mandatory minimum three years in prison.

“In the circumstances, I find that there are special circumstances which would cause this court to not impose an immediate custodial sentence.”

Mr Warner sentenced Rawlins to two years suspended for the knife and three months for the hammer. Both sentences are suspended for a year.

Rawlins will also be on probation for two years following the suspended sentence.