Woman claims self-defence in stabbing case

(CNS): A 21 year old West Bay woman went on trial Tuesday in the Grand Court before Justice Mettyear, accused of stabbing a man twice in the chest in December 2011. Bianca Vega is charged with wounding with intent and is represented by local attorney Lucy Organ. Vega admits that she stabbed the victim but claims that she acted in self-defence against the complainant who is said to have tried to attack her with a chair. Vega claims that the man had approached her in an aggrieve manner with the chair and she had simply reacted to the threats by stabbing him with a three inch blade, twice in the chest.

When she took the stand Vega told the court that she had gone to her friend's house on North West Point Road in West Bay to console her due to a family matter at around midnight on 18th December. Vega said her friend left to go to buy some food from a nearby restaurant while she went to wait outside with a few people who were outside.

A few men were in the yard at the time consuming alcohol while listening to music and playing dominoes. Vega said she then heard the complainant shouting profanities inside the house. She claims that he approached her in an aggressive manner, questioning her about why she had been talking about his sexuality and insulting her.

Vega told the court that after the complainant threatened to bust her face with the chair she stood up to walk away but that she was afraid he would hit her if she did so. She admitted telling him to get out of her face and refused to leave because she was waiting on the return of her friend. It was after the victim faked a striking motion that the defendant said she reacted almost instantly and stabbed him twice in his chest with the three inch blade and discarded it in the sea before handing herself over to the police.

During questioning by the Crown Counsel, it was put to Vega that she was not acting in self-defence but instead had intended to stab him because she lost her temper. The prosecutor suggested Vega stabbed him in the chest because she knew it would cause more damage and that no chair at all was involved.

Vega denied these allegations and stated:  “I'm not wronging myself for defending myself. I wrong myself for hurting him.”

The judge alone trial continues in court one