A 44-year-old woman is seeking justice from the police and the relevant authorities after a 25-year marriage left her with bodily scars that will be a badge of her testimony of abuse at the hand of a man who promised to one day kill her.
Lavern Newton, a food vendor of “D” Field Sophia, Georgetown, wants to end the abuse at the hands of her ex-lover, David Sardinha, who she said is refusing to let her go in peace.
The mother of four children, her youngest age six and eldest 22, recalled that in the early 1990s, the abuse began and continued for several years.
“Back then, he use to beat me with cutlass and threaten me when I was selling, and he also use to lock me up in my house for days.”
This behaviour, she said, culminated recently with an acid attack that damaged both of her legs which are now bandaged.

Recalling what occurred, she explained that recently after selling for the day and walking home, her ex-reputed husband appeared with the corrosive substance and threw it on her.

“I see this person coming with allover black and when I look good, I saw the person opening this bottle, so I start to run away and he came running behind me, and he started to throw this liquid on me. I ran down the road and started to holler out for help. People came out and he ran away from the scene. But I was already badly burnt to both of my legs,” she said, adding that “The police gave him the name ‘Flash Gordon’ because they could never locate him.”
Newton said after the acid attack, it was the last time she saw her abuser; instead he now calls her phone and issues death threats.
“I am tired and I need help,” she said, relating that “This man has beaten me, he has raped me, he has cut my face and now he has burnt me with acid. I’ve had enough and the police or someone needs to help me, because the next thing people will hear is that I am dead.”

Lavern makes pastries and other food items to earn a living.
“When someone gave me a bicycle to help me to get around to sell, he destroyed the bike, break up the stove, the cooking things and even cuss out my customers. I need help and I can’t take this anymore,” she cried.
When contacted, police confirmed that there are reports at the Turkeyen Police Station and they are searching for the suspect.