Assault: man gets nine months but has already served his time

Friday 29 July 2016

A man charged with grave and criminal assault for beating up an old friend who is suffering from leukaemia is heading back home tonight.

Nathan Stanton Monks (23) who was born in Grenada was sentenced in the Royal Court to nine months for the assault on Ryan Gallie at St Catherine back in January.

The Court heard how although not close friends, the two had known each other since they were about 16-years-old and had arranged via Facebook to meet up in the car park at Durrell in the very early hours of Tuesday 19 January.

Mr Gallie who had two female friends with him, drove to meet Monks in the car park with Mr Gallie’s ex-girlfriend and two male friends and they all headed off for a drive.

The two arranged to drive to St Catherine and when they’d parked up, Monks told Mr Gallie his indicator was hanging off. When he got out of his car, Monks said: “Your ex-girlfriend has told me you’re slagging me off.” He then punched Mr Gallie four times in the head, knocking him to the ground and then pulling him up by the lapels, injuring his neck and tearing his clothes.

Monks then shouted that he’d come looking for him if he called the police.

Mr Gallie got back in his car and drove away and just before 3.15 am reported the assault to police. One of the girls in the car told police that Monks was following them and the police told them to head for Rue de Pres Trading Estate where officers had been dispatched.

Monks was stopped by police nearby and one of the officers went to speak to Gallie who she said had a swollen and bloody lip and red marks on the left side of his neck.

Monks denied that there was any sort of scuffle but was arrested by police just before 04:00 and later charged with grave and criminal assault along with Ms Canada, Mr Gallie's ex-girlfriend. He appeared before the Magistrate the following day, reserving his plea. He was denied bail and the case was committed to the Royal court.

The case against Ms Canada was dropped and Monks pleaded guilty on 18 March to the charge of grave and criminal assault. After spending the equivalent to his sentence in custody, he is now free to go home.