A BEATRICE man who defaulted 305 hours of community service he was ordered to perform after being convicted of assault has been jailed for three months. Romeo Vasco (24) of Tavistok Farm, Beatrice, was convicted on his own plea for assault when he appeared before Chitungwiza magistrate Ms Rumbidzai Mugwagwa recently.

Vasco punched Givemore Ziriwo of Muriritirwa Village, Mhondoro, on the left eye for intervening during a scuffle.

He was then slapped with a 12-month jail term, with two months of his sentence suspended on condition of good behaviour.

The remaining 10 months were suspended on condition he completed 305 hours of community service.

Instead, Vasco vanished from his service, forcing Ms Mugwagwa to send him to jail.

Prosecutor Mr Henry Muringani proved that on September 9 and at around 12:30am, at Tavistock Farm in Beatrice, Vasco and his friend Richard Matanga attended a church gathering and started making noise.

This forced the owner of the premises Peter Dansali to silence the pair or ask them to leave.

This angered the pair and they forcibly grabbed Dansali, resulting in a fight.

When Ziriwo saw his friend being assaulted by the two, he approached them intending to mediate.

Vasco punched him on the eye and fled.

Police later arrested him.