After admitting to hitting the mother of his children about her head with a soft drinks case and threatening to not stop beating her until she died, a mechanic was on Tuesday sentenced to 18 months in jail.
Roopnarine Persaud, 50, stood before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan, who read two charges to him when he appeared in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.
The first charge alleged that Persaud, on April 5, at Barama Line, Baramita, North West, unlawfully and maliciously assaulted the mother of his two children.
It was also alleged that the accused, on the very date, used threatening language to the same woman.
Persaud pleaded guilty to both crimes, although he later told the court that he was unaware of the claims made against him.
According to police prosecutor Arvin Moore, the defendant and the victim once lived together, however, Persaud was in the habit of physically abusing the victim. The prosecutor added that the man was previously charged and convicted over a similar offence.
Facts surrounding the case stated that at about 1.32 am on the day in question, the mother of the defendant’s children was sitting with friends at Baramita, when the defendant approached her, picked up a soft drinks case and dealt her several lashes about her head. Persaud was later held by persons in the area while the complainant was assisted and taken to the Baramita Health Centre and then to the Baramita Police Outpost, where a report was made. Moore added that the medical certificate for the complainant indicated that she suffered a laceration to her head.
As it relates to the threatening language charge, the prosecutor stated that the defendant told the complainant that he would not stop beating her until she died.
Asked by the Chief Magistrate if he wished to say anything, the defendant said, “Mi ain know nothing bout wah happen. I neva see she.”
Subsequently, Chief Magistrate McLennan sentenced the accused to 18 months for the assault and 12 months for the threatening language, however, the sentences will run concurrently, which means that Persaud is expected to only serve 18 months in jail.
