Jealous Lover Jailed for 18 months
George Rose
October is “Domestic Violence Awareness Month” in Bermuda, which is intended to raise awareness of domestic violence, show support for victims and survivors, and to amplify support for the resources that are available here on Island.
Last year the Minister of Social Development and Seniors, the Hon. Tinee Furbert, JP, MP. announced the implementation of a Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conference (MARAC) Model in Bermuda, by bringing together key agencies and professionals to better support survivors and hold perpetrators accountable. Minister Furbert expressed her sincere gratitude to the Centre Against Abuse, the Bermuda Police Service, the Women’s Resource Center, Inspire Bermuda, the One Love Foundation, and all domestic violence organisations for their invaluable involvement and unwavering support.
There is no question that members of the Bermuda Police Service find themselves on the front line in dealing with domestic violence, and the following article outlines one such serious case dealt with by then Detective Constable George Rose which typifies the seriousness and ever present danger victims can find themselves in which can have potentially disastrous consequences. The names of the victim and the accused have been omitted from this article.
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On a Sunday evening in November 1969, young D.C. George Rose and Detective Superintendent Frank Hammond, Head of CID, attended the scene of an alleged attempted murder in Somerset. There they met with P.C. Clive Crossman, and Sgt. Dudley Proctor who described how a man had walked into Somerset Police Station and said, “I’ve just killed my girlfriend.”
Sergeant Dudley Proctor
When asked by the Sergeant “Do you realize what you are saying?” he said, “Yes,” and repeated his statement. Asked who she was and where she lived and what he killed her with, he replied “Her name is ……. she lives at …… and I killed her with my hands.” His hands were trembling.
Sgt Proctor had immediatety rushed to the scene taking along a resuscitator containing oxygen, and accompanied by two other constables. There they found a young woman lying on her back on a bed, apparently dead, with her hands raised to her shoulders. On closer examination she was found to have a very weak pulse and her breathing was shallow. Her tongue was swollen, her eyes bulging and rolled back, and there was a bruise above her collar. Oxygen was applied for about five minutes until she coughed and vomited. She remained semi-conscious whilst awaiting an ambulance.
The victim was taken to King Edward Hospital by a Naval Operating Base ambulance, and when later giving evidence in Supreme Court, a doctor who treated her told the court that in his opinion the victim’s injuries were “typical of manual strangulation.” He explained that if the blood supply to the brain were stopped for five minutes, or for three according to most authorities, “the patient is technically dead.” If it were partially interrupted, “You can get anything from very mild brain damage to death.” He said the pressure applied to cause the victim's injuries would have to be “fairly considerable.” The length of time it was applied would be important, but he could not estimate this in her case.
Detective Supt Hammond and D.C. Rose were called out to investigate the case. They first examined the scene of the alleged crime and then attended Somerset Police Station where they conferred with Sgt Proctor before interviewing the 23 year old man who had been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder, and was in custody at the Station.
Supt. Hammond interviewed the defendant under caution in the presence of D.C. Rose who recorded the questions asked and answers given. The defendant (who had been living with the victim and their young child in Somerset) was sitting with head down looking at his partly clenched hands. D.C. Rose later recorded a statement under caution from the defendant which included the following:
“I can’t really explain it. She wanted to stop seeing me. I have accused her of a lot of things. I knew they were wrong.
“I told her I couldn’t live without her. She told me I was crazy and foolish.”
“She said, ‘I can’t take nothing of that.”
“I just saw her lazing there. My hands went to her mouth and throat, to her neck. She didn’t move any more, so I just left. I got in my car and came here. I still love her. I hope she goes away to live. She’ll never forgive me for what I’ve done.”
Asked what he intended to do to her, the suspect said: “I meant to kill her – you mean did I mean it to her? Yes, I meant it at the time.”
When he went to the house, he said, he wanted to tell her he really wanted to try this time, but she kept telling him “No” and kept laughing.
“I told her if I can’t have her nobody can. That’s when I gripped her. She said, ‘Don’t be stupid,’ so I stopped and let her up. She laughed and said, ‘You’ll never get me now,’ and I gripped her. I put one hand over her mouth. When she stopped moving I let her go. I wanted to kill her with my hands."
“I never had more happy times with a girl. If she wants me to stop seeing the kid, then that’s fine, because I don’t deserve to see her now.”
D.C. Rose later formally charged the defendant with attempted murder contrary to Section 284 (a) of the Criminal Code.
The accused appeared for trial in Supreme Court in January 1970 charged with attempted murder, or alternatively causing grevious bodily harm. He was represented by Ms Lois Browne-Evans MCP, and the prosecution was led by the Solicitor General, Mr. A.E. Sedgewick.
D.C. Rose gave evidence at the trial and reported that when the accused was cautioned and formally charged with attempted murder, he had written on the charge sheet, “Please tell (the victim) that I am very sorry. Love ... (and signed his name).
At his trial the defendant said he could remember nothing after putting his hands on the girl’s mouth “to stop her laughing,” until he found himself in a Hamilton Police Station cell. He confirmed his signatures on statements made to the police, but declared: “It couldn’t have been me that gave the police that statement…. they say it was me but it’s just not my thing.”
He did not say that anyone else made the statements or that the police invented them. Asked how some of his statements got there if he didn’t say them, he replied: “I’m trying to find out myself.”
After summations from the prosecution and defence, the jury returned a verdict of “guilty” of attempted murder and recommended leniency in sentencing. It was also noted that the accused had no previous convictions and had a satisfactory record with his employers.
During the trial the victim had described how, after she had their baby, the accused had started accusing her of going out with other men, which she said was completely untrue. After hearing the jury’s verdict Sir Myles stated that nothing had been said (in evidence) which gave the accused any cause to be jealous and that his accusations were false. The Chief Justice said he found his task “difficult and agonising” in view of the type of case. The crime was committed out of jealousy and one that the accused would remember all his life. Sir Myles said: “Love in its true nature rests not on jealousy but on mutual trust and confidence one to the other.” He then sentenced the accused to 18 months in prison.
The Chief Justice and both counsel commended Sergeant Proctor for his prompt first aid, which might well have saved the victim’s life. Sir Myles wished his comments to be reported to the Police Commissioner.
Editors note - We have previously pubished two other articles written by retired Superintendent George Rose about serious domestic attacks both resulting in jail sentences for the culprits. I would venture to say that the majority of Bermuda police officers who have spent a few years on beat duties or on traffic patrol, will have dealt with domestic incidents involving violence, some of which will have resulted in serious, and on occasion fatal injury to the victims.
1. A CASE OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE (CLICK HERE to view) was published during “Domestic Violence Month” in 2023.
2. MURDEROUS ATTACK ON WIFE (CLICK HERE to view) was published in April 2024.
