Man charged with beating woman with cricket bat

A 42-YEAR-OLD St James man was granted $80,000 bail by a Justice of the Peace on Wednesday after being charged with malicious damage and assault by beating against a woman.

A police release said Dusty Joseph, a PH taxi driver, was granted bail by JP Stephen Young, and will appear before a Port of Spain Magistrate on February 28.

Reports say the 18-year-old victim was in the company of a friend at the corner of Henry Street and Independence Square, Port of Spain, on January 19, when she got into a verbal altercation with a man.

During the incident, the man allegedly took out a cricket bat and the woman in her face and lower back. The woman’s cellular phone was damaged during the altercation.

Video footage of the incident went viral on social media and was brought to the police's attention.

The victim later made a report to police and officers led by ACP Hazel and including Snr Supt Alexander and Supts Ramsook and Daly supervised by Insp Yearwood and Sgt Alexander, all of Port of Spain Division on Tuesday which resulted in the arrest of a suspect.

Joseph was charged by PC Felix of the Central Police Station on Wednesday.