A Tarouba man was sent to jail yesterday for 16 months yesterday for maliciously wounding his common-law wife with a cutlass during an argument.
Kadir Drickpaul, 30, of Bocus Drive, Thompson Road, Tarouba, pleaded guilty to the charge when he appeared before Magistrate Margaret Alert in the San Fernando Magistrates’ Court.
According to the facts, read by court prosecutor Krishna Bedassie, on August 29, 2015 the victim, Melissa Sooknanan, was at her home at Picton Street Extension, Picton Settlement, San Fernando.
Drickpaul was also at Sooknanan’s home when around 12.30 am the pair began arguing.
During the argument, Drickpaul took up a cutlass from inside the house and struck Sooknanan several times about her body, resulting in cuts.
Drickpaul then ran away. Sooknanan made a report to the San Fernando Police Station and PC Kevin Crawford visited her home and spoke to her about the matter.
Crawford also took possession of the cutlass used in the beating.
Sooknanan went to the San Fernando General Hospital (SFGH) where she received treatment for her injuries and Crawford collected a medical report on her behalf.
Sometime later, Bedassie said, Crawford went to Lalbeharry Trace, Barrackpore, where he met with Drickpaul.
When Drickpaul was told of the allegation, he replied: “Boss, that night me and Melissa had a fight and she end up getting some cuts.”
He was then arrested and taken to the San Fernando Police Station.
Yesterday, defence attorney Analee Girwar told the court Drickpaul was a coconut vendor and a father of four.
She said Drickpaul told her the argument started over Drickpaul’s cellphone. Girwar said Sooknanan accused her client of being unfaithful.
Girwar said the argument escalated into a scuffle during which both Drickpaul and Sooknanan received cuts about the body.
She said her client was sorry for his actions and had spent his time in custody thinking about what he did.
She asked Alert to show leniency, stating Drickpaul had learnt his lesson.
However, Alert disagreed as she cited a pending matter on Drickpaul’s court record for breaching a protection order taken out against him by Sooknanan in April.
Alert said that allegation and the conviction showed an escalating pattern of violent behaviour towards Sooknanan.
She sentenced Drickpaul to 16 months hard labor and ordered the cutlass returned to Sooknanan.