After the court heard yesterday how the 18-year-old attacked his victim as the man parked his van in a town street, Assistant Magistrate Ian Christmas remarked to Centenier David Letto: ‘He was punched four times and that is common assault?’ Mr Christmas made a similar observation to the Centenier in March, when another defendant appeared charged with common assault instead of the more serious offence of grave and criminal.
Centenier Letto replied that the man hit by Joao Flavio Gomes Mendes had not been injured and so the prosecution did not think the more serious charge was warranted, but Mr Christmas told him: ‘That is not the correct criterion.’ Mendes, of Rue du Tas de Géon, Trinity, admitted assaulting Hermano Pereira in Aquila Road on 6 March.
