Battered woman's court bombshell

11 January 2013

THERE were gasps of shock and disbelief in the Port Elizabeth Magistrate's Court yesterday when a woman who was viciously assaulted, allegedly by her boyfriend, Brent Cunningham, asked the state to withdraw the charges against him.

The dramatic about-turn comes amid calls from the public for Cunningham to finally be put behind bars after two previous run-ins with the law.

He was previously acquitted of murder after he claimed self-defence, and received a two-year suspended sentence for assaulting his father.

Cunningham, 21, allegedly beat Shireen Ballan, 36, so severely on December 27 that she was admitted to hospital.

A picture of Ballan's cut and bloodied face circulating on social media elicited a range of responses, from support for her to disgust at Cunningham's alleged behaviour.

Yesterday, there was another outpouring – this time of shock and disappointment that Ballan wanted to withdraw the charges.

"This is outrageous. Why was the charge laid in the first place," one lawyer was heard saying to another in the court passage after Cunningham's appearance yesterday.

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Reader's Comments

Report Abuse Author: thirsty Date: 13 January 2013 8:43

Vim, your comments surprise me and make me think you would not even be able to dissipline somebody much more than a repremand. As far as I am concerned if this supposedly very scared woman wants to drop charges against Cunningham, that we as society should be able to step in and STILL Charge the idiot for assault and attempted murder, as it is not only in her interest to rid society of crap but all of our interest's. He would not understand a slap on the wrist I believe at least 4 years in cell. This country already has a problem in controlling this type of violence, we must act with conviction.

Report Abuse Author: Karen Date: 11 January 2013 12:57

Vim, in the ideal world it would work that way, but unfortunately we aren't living in that ideal world. South Africa has one of the highest stats for violent crime (rape, murder, armed robbery, assault with intent) and giving someone a slap on the wrist is not going to solve the problem - least of all be in the interest of public safety. From my understanding, this incident was the third of it's kind the person in question was arrested for. With all respect, I don't think reporting to a social worker once a week for five years is going to change the status quo. And if we had to apply this to all cases of this nature across SA, we are going to need a whole lot more social workers. As a country, and as a responsible citizen, we should in actual fact all stand together and have a zero tolerance for crimes of this nature (and obviously crime in general). It is not OK.

Report Abuse Author: vim Date: 11 January 2013 12:20

A young man has died, and the court made a ruling to release Cunningham. When passing judgement, the court had a responsibility to ensure he was not a threat to society. Since there appears to be no dispute in Cunningham as the person who attacked Ballan, it is the court that owes Ballan and the public an explanation for why she has been attacked. But two years in prison is hardly likely to make a better person of... anyone. If you are asking me, in the previous judgement, the court should have instructed that Cunningham report to a social worker once a week for five years, and the social worker should have had the authority to approach the court at any time with recommendations in the interest of public safety.

Report Abuse Author: Karen Date: 11 January 2013 10:43

Vim, what planet are you from? With her keeping quiet, and him not being brought to book in a court of law, will just leave the door wide open for him to do it again ... and again, because he is "allowed" to get away with it. So when will it be OK with you to actually prosecute him for this violent crime? When someone has died?

Report Abuse Author: vim Date: 11 January 2013 10:26

I think Ballan has made a wise decision, provided that she won't be giving any more of her time to this six year old brat with two biceps. It's not her responsibility to complicate her future so that Cunningham can be prosecuted for the public's sake. If the public believes that two years in gaol will reform him, the public is stupid, stupid, stupid! I would be willing though, to contribute to his airfare if he'd like to make himself more useful by digging up some mines in Iraq.

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