McDoom man fined over wounding of alleged electricity thief

McDoom resident Calvin Barrow was yesterday fined $100,000 for wounding a man he found installing an illegal electrical connection from his yard.

Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry imposed the fine at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court, where Barrow pleaded guilty to unlawfully wounding Leon Barton on August 8 at McDoom Village.

The magistrate also ordered that Barrow pay the fine within the next 14 days or serve six months imprisonment.

Barrow, 35, of McDoom Village, East Bank Demerara, was arraigned at the court last week before Magistrate Faith McGusty and was placed on $100,000 bail as he was not required to plead to the indictable charge. He offered the plea yesterday when the case was called before the Chief Magistrate.

Prosecutor Bharrat Mangru said that Barton was in Barrow’s yard on a tree, fixing illegal wire connections, when Barrow told him to get down.

He said that Barrow then approached Barton with a glass bottle after he had refused to get off the tree. He then broke the glass bottle and stabbed Barton on his left arm causing him to sustain lacerations. The matter was reported and Barrow was arrested and charged.

Barrow told the court that he just saw a man on a tree inside of his yard and told him to get down from the tree and leave his yard. He said the man then responded saying that it wasn’t his business to tell him to leave.

He noted that he got angry and when Barton left the tree, he went to him with a glass bottle in his hand, with the intention of confronting him but their conversation quickly got heated, which resulted in an argument. He said Barton assaulted him. “We ended up in a scuffle after he assault me and then I get vex and lifted him off the ground and lick him down. Then I break the bottle and stabbed him pun he hand,” Barrow said.

Barton was also charged last week with the assault of Barrow and he was released on $10,000 bail.

The case was adjourned until September 20.