Trinidad: Husband gets 4 years in jail for beating wife

(Trinidad Express) Four years in jail will be served by a husband who breached a protection order and beat his wife.

Meetra Chaitram told the court that he did not hit her much but the 35-year-old mother of five said she was cursed at, hit in her head and other parts of her body and her hair was pulled out.

Chaitram, 46 of Debe, was charged with assault by beating and contravening a protection order. The charge was laid by constable Anderson Maingot of the San Fernando police station.

Police prosecutor Cleyon Seedan told San Fernando magistrate Alicia Chankar that at 5.45 p.m. last Monday, Chaitram accused the woman of being unfaithful and dealt her blows to her head and body. Chaitram breached a protection order which was issued by the San Fernando Magistrates’ Court in 2016. It comes to an end on July 4 2019. Chaitram said it instructed that he was “not supposed to lash she or anything”. The woman was treated and discharged and a medical report was received.

The self-employed man said he was frustrated. He explained that he and wife had been working together on a job involving kitchen cupboards last November. He said she however got employment elsewhere and left him to finish the work and he became frustrated.

Asked about the lashes dealt to the woman, Chaitram said “I didn’t hit her that much”.

The victim explained that she was not being paid a salary when she worked with her husband but with the new job she was bringing in regular income. She said, “Since I start to work every day he cursing me.”

On the day of the incident she said he accused her of being unfaithful. “He started to hit me. Our son (intervened) and he got lashed too. My hair was also pulled out. While I washing my hair this (Tuesday) morning it fall out.”

Chankar said, “Look what you did to this lady and you are trying to tell me it wasn’t much. What will be much for you? Someone trying to positively assist the household and that is what you did? … You have no respect for another human being. This is the mother of your children.”

Chaitram was sentenced to 24 months on each of the offences. He will serve 48 months in prison.