Barbados Today

A 28-year-old man, who assaulted the proprietor of a bar who refused to sell him a piece of fried chicken, has to complete 120 hours of community service if he wants to keep his criminal record clean.

Ricardo Antonio Spencer, of Free Hill, Black Rock, St Michael, admitted to hitting Trevor Sealy with $3 worth of coins and a bottle of pepper sauce yesterday evening.

Spencer entered Witley’s Bar and Grocery located in his community and stated that he wanted a piece of chicken for $3. According to the prosecutor, Sergeant Cameron Gibbons, Sealy told him “no”. Spencer then informed him that he had $4 in his hands and wanted the chicken, but Sealy ignored him prompting Spencer to throw the change money at him.

The coins struck Sealy in the face and as if that was not enough, he also took up a plastic bottle containing pepper sauce and threw it at Sealy, hitting him on the leg.

At that point Spencer left the bar and police were called in.

In giving his side of the story, the first time offender told Magistrate Kristie Cuffy-Sargeant that he asked “Trev” whether he had any pieces of chicken for $3, as the prices ranged from $3 to $5.

Spencer said Sealy responded to him in an “aggressive” manner, which he did not appreciate.

“He make me feel like I was begging and I get frustrated and pelt the money at he. It was all  . . . coins and all couldn’t hit he. Then he told me something offensive and I pelt it [the bottle] at him. I know it couldn’t do nothing to him and it only squirt on his face,” Spencer explained, adding that he then went outside the bar before the police came.

“It is like he was just trying to stain my reputation . . .  . He [was telling the police] ‘it is he, it is he . . . . charge he, charge he,’” Spencer recalled.

However, Cuffy-Sargeant told the accused that he needed to show respect if he wanted the same for himself.

“When you threw the items you disrespected him. He is the proprietor and he decides who he sells his [things to]. Because he said ‘no’ does not mean that you have to behave like a petulant child.

“That was irresponsible and childish behaviour. Don’t behave like that in the future,” Cuffy-Sargeant said before granting Spencer $1,000 bail.

He returns to court on April 27 and has been warned to stay away from Sealy and his shop.