By Staff Writer

A workplace confrontation that began with a shoulder brush ended with a colleague stabbed three times with a pair of scissors, the High Court heard, in a case that has now resulted in a guilty verdict for wounding.

Justice John Spencer, presiding over a judge-only trial, convicted Rockell Browne, an employee of the Antigua and Barbuda Transport Board, of wounding a female co-worker after rejecting her claim of self-defence.

According to evidence presented in court, Browne and the complainant were not close, but neither were they known to have any hostility between them. The complainant told the court there had been a pattern of minor friction before the attack, instances in which Browne would brush against her shoulder, though she never officially reported these encounters.

Matters escalated on the day of the incident in 2022. The complainant had just clocked out and was heading into a room to collect her bag when she and Browne crossed paths in the doorway. As she continued on her way, Browne shoved her with enough force that her back hit a light switch, plunging the room into darkness. A physical fight erupted between the two women, and when a third person stepped in to break it up, Browne grabbed a pair of scissors and stabbed the complainant three times.

Browne told the court a different story. She insisted she had acted in self-defence, claiming both women attacked her and that it was actually the complainant who habitually jammed into her at work. She said she had complained to three different supervisors about the complainant’s conduct — an account contradicted in court by one of those supervisors, who testified she had never received any such complaint from Browne. 

Justice Spencer was not persuaded by Browne’s version of events. A witness who saw the altercation unfold also testified during the trial.

Attorney Wendel Alexander represented Browne, who has been remanded into custody. The prosecution was represented by Curtis Cornelius. Sentencing has been set for September 25.