Man sentenced for pen-stabbing

2008-11-20 22:31

Cape Town - A man who stabbed his former girlfriend's new lover in the face with a pen was on Thursday sentenced to two years in prison, suspended for five years.

Karel Wilson, 49, appeared before Cape Town Magistrate Phindi Norman, who said she could "easily send him to Pollsmoor Prison, then go home with peace of mind".

Prosecutor Tashaig Ahmed said the victim, Craig Crouse, would have scars on his face for the rest of his life.

Ahmed added: "The accused cannot control his temper, that's why he's here."

Norman said the attack, in February last year, happened at the Cape Town Family Court, where Crouse had applied for a Protection Order against Wilson.

"One would have thought that you would be hesitant to assault someone so seriously at the very court where there was an application for a Protection Order against you."

On the day in question, there had been two groups present at the Family Court - one supporting the victim and the other supporting Wilson, she said.

Norman said Wilson had protested his innocence throughout the case and it seemed he had not learned from his experience.

She said people generally had the mistaken impression that the courts were reluctant to jail first-time offenders, as Wilson was, but there was no law stipulating that such offenders could not be jailed.

- SAPA