A shocking violent incident that left a man permanently blinded in one eye has resulted in a substantial extended prison sentence for the perpetrator at the High Court in Kingstown, where Justice Rickie Burnett handed down the judgment following a guilty verdict from a nine-member jury.
The attack unfolded on the evening of December 10, 2023, at approximately 9 p.m. inside Mama’s Shop, a local community store located in Fairbairne Pasture. Ashlie Arrindell, accompanied by an associate known only by the nickname Bess Dressed, entered the business while both men were visibly intoxicated. The confrontation began when Arrindell falsely claimed he had lost $50 at the establishment, a claim the shopkeeper immediately refuted.
After leaving the premises briefly, the pair returned to purchase sardines and crackers. Arrindell borrowed a bowl from Mark Delplesche, a shop worker, to eat his meal, but the two men left a significant mess in their area. When Delplesche stepped in to remove the bowl to clean up the mess, Arrindell followed him behind the shop counter before eventually returning to the front of the store.
Desron John, a customer who was present at the shop during the altercation, asked Arrindell to leave the property. Arrindell complied at first, but he returned moments later concealing a pair of scissors in his closed fist. When John again requested he leave and blocked the entrance to prevent him from re-entering, Arrindell swung his right hand and drove the scissors directly into John’s left eye.
John immediately felt searing pain and ran to the back of the shop to wash the injury, quickly realizing he had lost all vision in his left eye as blood poured from the wound. He was rushed to Milton Cato Memorial Hospital for emergency surgery, while local law enforcement was notified via the Calliaqua Police Station. Responding officers located Arrindell near a neighboring shop, where they discovered a blood-stained pair of surgical scissors on his person, along with a second purple pair of scissors hidden in the back pocket of his trousers. A blood-stained grey t-shirt was also recovered at the scene.
In a harrowing victim impact statement submitted to the court, John detailed the life-altering consequences of the attack. He described feeling immediate disbelief, shock, and terror after the stabbing, explaining that the injury has forced him to move in with his father, who now assists him with basic daily tasks including meal preparation, laundry, and most personal chores. John says he feels like a significant burden to his family, and can no longer care for his 16-year-old daughter, his only child, in the way he did before the attack.
The injury has created constant daily frustrations: John often fails to recognize acquaintances while walking in public, requires sunglasses to block bright sunlight, moves far more slowly than he once did, and must exercise extreme caution during all routine activities. He has struggled with plummeting self-confidence, avoiding social interactions with romantic partners out of shame over his disfigurement. Tragically, John requires a second corrective surgery but cannot afford the procedure due to financial constraints, and he remains in significant debt from his existing medical costs. In a further cruel twist, John already suffered an injury to his right eye years earlier when he was working at a construction site and removed his glasses due to impaired vision from his injured left eye.
During the sentencing hearing, Justice Burnett emphasized the profound, irreversible harm that the loss of an eye inflicts on a victim and their entire support network. “Human beings are born with two eyes and use them for everything we do,” the judge noted. “The loss of an eye has a significant impact on those who experience it as well as family, friends, and society.” He also highlighted that John faces ongoing uncertainty about his ability to maintain independence, cover future medical costs, hold employment, and provide for his family. He added that the attack was carried out with a weapon, which increased the severity of the offense.
Arrindell had originally been charged with the more severe count of intentional grievous bodily harm, which carried a maximum sentence of 14 years in prison. The jury ultimately found him guilty of the lesser charge of unlawful wounding. In calculating the sentence, Justice Burnett set a starting point of 10 years and six months, equal to 75% of the maximum 14-year sentence. The judge cited two aggravating factors: the attack was carried out in front of multiple witnesses, and Arrindell was intoxicated at the time of the offense. The lack of premeditation, as determined by the jury’s verdict, was counted as a mitigating factor, and Arrindell’s prior good character was counted as a second mitigating factor.
After accounting for the balance of aggravating and mitigating circumstances, the judge reduced the sentence by a total of four years. Further, Arrindell was given credit for the four months and 25 days he had already spent in remand custody. The final ruling ordered Arrindell to serve an additional eight years, one month, and six days behind bars. Justice Burnett also noted that Arrindell could face further civil consequences, as John has the option to pursue a civil lawsuit for financial compensation for his injuries. The prosecution was represented by counsel Devon Bute, while Arrindell was represented by defense attorney J Lany Williams.