Gardener jailed for 5 years for chopping wife
By AZARD ALI Tuesday, November 27 2012
A
HIGH Court judge yesterday echoed the concerns made on Friday by Chief
Magistrate Marcia Ayers Caesar, saying that judicial officers must also
note the circumstances which trigger off domestic violence. In stating
this, Justice Malcolm Holdip sentenced Basil De Leon, 60, to five years
in jail for chopping his wife with a cutlass.
The
judge however, presiding in the San Fernando High Court, discounted the
29 months the Tabaquite cassava gardener spent in jail awaiting trial.
De Leon will therefore serve 31 months in prison. The judge justified
the court sentence on De Leon, for wounding Meena Rampersad, 53, with
intent, by the husband’s contention that the common-law wife had taken
$68,000 worth of items from the matrimonial home, and had gone to live
with another wiyh man.
De Leon on Friday last, was found not guilty, in the San Fernando High Court by a jury, of attempted murder for chopping off one of her fingers with a cutlass. The jury found him guilty on the lesser count of wounding the woman.
Holdip told De Leon that no doubt, De Leon was incensed by Rampersad taking possessions valued $68,000 from the matrimonial house, and going to live at Pierre Phillip Trace, New Grant. The wife left him in 2006, and on November 11, 2007, De Leon confronted her at her new home, whilst armed with a cutlass.
Holdip said, “I must echo the sentiments of the Honourable Chief Magistrate in which she asked all judicial officers (magistrates), to be aware of the fact that where claims of domestic violence are made, cognisance must be taken of these claims because we may never know what triggers a domestic situation to escalate into a domestic violence.”
Rampersad had testified before a jury, that when she left the matrimonial home, De Leon confronted her with a cutlass in front her new home at Pierre Phillip Trace, and chopped her twice. She lost the middle finger on the left hand, and was cut across the wrist.
Yesterday, Senior State Attorney Angelica Teelucksingh, told Holdip the courts needed to send a message to society, that even if the genesis for becoming incensed was a domestic violence situation, violence must not be the last resort. She said: “The public’s confidence in the criminal justice system, must be strengthened by its sentencing.”
Holdip reminded De Leon that in 1985, he was sentenced to seven years for manslaughter. The judge then went on to tell De Leon that no doubt he was emotionally inflamed by Rampersad taking off with the house valuables, but warned that it was no excuse to resort to violence. In passing sentence, Holdip said that upon De Leon’s arrest, he was refused bail and spent some 29 prison months in jail awaiting trial. He was granted bail by a Judge in Chambers on March 17, 2010. The judge sentenced him to five years hard labour, but informed De Leon that 29 months would be deducted from the term. The commencement of the 31 months in jail began yesterday.
De Leon on Friday last, was found not guilty, in the San Fernando High Court by a jury, of attempted murder for chopping off one of her fingers with a cutlass. The jury found him guilty on the lesser count of wounding the woman.
Holdip told De Leon that no doubt, De Leon was incensed by Rampersad taking possessions valued $68,000 from the matrimonial house, and going to live at Pierre Phillip Trace, New Grant. The wife left him in 2006, and on November 11, 2007, De Leon confronted her at her new home, whilst armed with a cutlass.
Holdip said, “I must echo the sentiments of the Honourable Chief Magistrate in which she asked all judicial officers (magistrates), to be aware of the fact that where claims of domestic violence are made, cognisance must be taken of these claims because we may never know what triggers a domestic situation to escalate into a domestic violence.”
Rampersad had testified before a jury, that when she left the matrimonial home, De Leon confronted her with a cutlass in front her new home at Pierre Phillip Trace, and chopped her twice. She lost the middle finger on the left hand, and was cut across the wrist.
Yesterday, Senior State Attorney Angelica Teelucksingh, told Holdip the courts needed to send a message to society, that even if the genesis for becoming incensed was a domestic violence situation, violence must not be the last resort. She said: “The public’s confidence in the criminal justice system, must be strengthened by its sentencing.”
Holdip reminded De Leon that in 1985, he was sentenced to seven years for manslaughter. The judge then went on to tell De Leon that no doubt he was emotionally inflamed by Rampersad taking off with the house valuables, but warned that it was no excuse to resort to violence. In passing sentence, Holdip said that upon De Leon’s arrest, he was refused bail and spent some 29 prison months in jail awaiting trial. He was granted bail by a Judge in Chambers on March 17, 2010. The judge sentenced him to five years hard labour, but informed De Leon that 29 months would be deducted from the term. The commencement of the 31 months in jail began yesterday.
No comments:
Post a Comment