By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

A SCHOOL principal said she believed she would die as she endured a violent attack at McLean’s Town Primary School, describing in court yesterday how she pretended to be dead to survive the June assault.

Simone Butler-Cornish broke down repeatedly as she recounted the June 20, 2025 attack before Magistrate Charlton Smith in Grand Bahama. Her husband and colleagues sat behind her in support.

The accused, Kenneth Farrington, who is on bail and unrepresented, was present in court.

At the outset, Assistant Superintendent Veron Rolle applied to amend Farrington’s charge from assault with a deadly weapon to causing grievous harm. Magistrate Smith read the new allegation, which claims Farrington “intentionally caused harm” to Mrs Butler-Cornish on 20 June. Farrington pleaded not guilty and chose to remain in the Magistrate’s Court.

Mrs Butler-Cornish told the court the attack happened shortly after she arrived at the campus, between 9.28am and 9.30am, on the last day of school. After opening the gate, parking, and placing her phone and keys on her desk in a classroom, she said Farrington appeared at the door.

“He appeared at the door and said good morning and asked for the report card of a student,” she testified. She said he appeared normal. After retrieving the card from the cabinet and examining it, she said Farrington suddenly attacked her.

“The first blow was dizzying, disorienting. It was loud. He was hitting me in the back of the head,” she said. “He gripped my shoulders and started hitting me about my head.”

She said she screamed repeatedly while Farrington remained silent.

“I’m not talking about a just hit. I’m talking about it was full force, like a hacking sound.”

She tried to flee into the adjoining classroom, but Farrington pulled her back and continued the assault. She eventually reached the door and ran outside, but he followed.

“So I'm screaming to the top of my lungs on the outside,” she said. She collapsed while running toward the student gate.

On the ground and screaming for help, she said Farrington stood over her and continued striking her head.

“I decided to stay still and not move so he could stop. And I called out ‘Jehovah’ four times.”

“I felt like I was going to die,” she said, pausing to regain her composure.

After seeing Farrington’s legs running away, she said she remained motionless for two minutes before running east in the direction of the police station, government dock and ferry service.

A janitress, Ms Laing, helped her and arranged for ferry operators to take her to the High Rock Community Clinic. A nurse determined her injuries were too severe, and she was transported by ambulance to Rand Memorial Hospital.

She said she received “countless stitches”, was referred to a neurologist and psychiatrist, and was diagnosed with Post-Concussion Syndrome and PTSD. At times she paused, visibly shaken. “Right now, the room is spinning,” she said, adding that she is no longer able to communicate as effectively as she once did.

Asked by ASP Rolle if she saw her attacker in court, she pointed to Farrington, seated on the front bench, wearing a black multi-colour shirt and locks.

When asked if she saw anything in his hand during the assault, she said she did not recall seeing anything.

Mrs Butler-Cornish confirmed she knew Farrington from a decade earlier, when she lived in Freetown while serving as principal at the Freetown Pre-School. She said she once helped him find odd jobs but later barred him from the preschool grounds after learning he wore an ankle monitor.

Representing himself, Farrington asked only two questions: “I was standing at the door, did you tell me to come inside?”

Mrs Butler-Cornish replied: “Yes.”

“Did I lock the door?” he asked. She answered that the door “was closed and locked,” but Farrington said, “I never locked the door.”

He asked no further questions.

The trial was adjourned to December 19 for continuation.