By Latrishka Thomas
A jury on Thursday found a young man not guilty of wounding with intent to murder and wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm stemming from an incident that occurred two years ago.
The prosecution was of the belief that on August 8 2020, when he was 18 years old, Daniel Westford stabbed a 25-year-old man in his neck.
Westford had initially been held on remand for some weeks but was later released on bail.
In the short trial before Justice Ann-Marie Smith, the Crown argued that the complainant and the defendant despised each other and had gotten into an altercation just a few days before the incident.
On the night in question the complainant went to a fast food restaurant in Point where he saw the defendant.
The two reportedly exchanged words and the complainant allegedly went home for a cutlass which he hid under his clothes before returning.
While his back was turned, the complainant was allegedly stabbed three times by the defendant and had to be treated in the hospital for two days.
The defendant told the court that he stabbed the man out of fear, having seen the cutlass.
Despite having evidence to corroborate that the complainant was attacked from behind, the jury found Westford not guilty.
They sided with defence counsel Lawrence Daniels who argued self-defence.