Seven-day sentence for threatening to kill wife

Outar Haripersaud yesterday received a seven-day sentence after admitting that he threatened to kill his common-law wife.

Acting Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry imposed the sentence at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.

The court heard that Haripersaud threatened his wife, Shaundra Bharrat, after receiving counselling.

The court also heard that Outar is a habitual abuser of alcohol and that he would abuse Bharrat when he is drunk.

Police Corporal Denise Booker, who was prosecuting in the case, said that the couple went for counselling at the Ministry of Human Services and afterward Outar told Bharrat that he was going to kill her when they got home. Bharrat subsequently made a report to the police and Outar was arrested and charged.

Outar, who said that he was in a passion, told the court that he was very sorry and that he would not make threats again.  He noted that he had already apologised to his wife when he was released from the station lock-ups.

The magistrate, however, was unconvinced, suggesting that he apologised because he knew that he was going to have to go to court. In sentencing him, she took into consideration the prevalence of the offence as well as the fact that alcohol was an aggravating factor in the case.