A simple (photo) session on Cable Beach turned suddenly into a frantic rescue effort for one wedding group – when a domestic dispute erupted only a few feet away.
In what Raymond Cartwright, the father of the groom, said was a extremely disturbing incident, witnesses claim they were shocked to see a man repeatedly beating a woman in broad daylight.
He questioned why it took police 20 minutes to arrive on the scene, even though the incident happened just down the road from the Cable Beach Police Station.
Mr Cartwright explained that his son Raymond junior was married last Saturday. He said that around 2pm, members of the wedding party went to the median on Cable Beach to take wedding photos. According to Mr Cartwright, the photo session had just begun when one member of the party noticed that a car had stopped in the road and that the lone female passenger was being beaten by the male driver.
Mr Cartwright said that he along with other members of the group immediately ran to assist the woman. “It was a disgrace. She was really bloodied, the man had the car in drive and his foot on the brakes, we couldn’t get the door open and I was looking around for a stone to break the glass,” Mr Cartwright said.
“I think that the lady might have been a Jamaican. I’m not sure and doesn’t matter – you don’t beat a woman like that,” Mr Cartwright said.
“Some people from the hotel came and took her to the hospital,” he added.
Mr Cartwright said that he was disturbed by the amount of time the police took to arrive at the scene. “It was too long, that shouldn’t have taken as long as they took, they’re right down the street,” he said.
According to Mr Cartwright, when two officers finally did show up, they appeared to be lackadaisical in their attitude to the situation.
He said that one officer was seen writing down the male driver’s details on his hand.
Police at the Cable Beach would not comment on the incident, or confirm Mr Cartwright’s version of events.
Source: The Tribune
