-court hears of frequent abuse
A man who was charged with unlawfully wounding his wife was refused bail by acting Chief Magistrate Melissa Robertson on Friday after years of abuse was unveiled by the complainant in the matter.
Laurel Gill, 39, of 372 West Ruimveldt Housing Scheme denied that on May 25 he unlawfully and maliciously wounded Tandiso Sinclair.
Attorney-at-law Vic Puran represented Gill and accused the police of refusing to take the man’s statement in the matter.
He said he had to take Gill’s statement at the police station.
Gill told the court that he went home to find a man sleeping in his bed and became enraged. Reports about the man being in his house, had apparently prompted him to return to the city from Bartica.
According to Puran, in his statement Gill alleged that he was attacked by his wife and a man.
He reportedly suffered a wound to his hand. The lawyer added that the police have refused to take Gill for a medical.
Gill contended that he has been paying all the bills for Sinclair and also has to pay her sister to take care of their child. Sinclair then outlined years of abuse at the hands of Gill. She said her life has been filled with “licks and threats.”
She said Gill had told her that if she put him in jail, he was going to kill her.
She said her presence in court was to tell the truth since she has nothing to hide. She said that her daughter has seen the years of abuse meted out by Gill.
Sinclair said that her daughter harboured ill-feelings towards Gill because of his abusive nature. She added that they have been separated for about eight months and all she wants is peace.
She said Gill has also been abusive to her mother. On a recent trip to Berbice, Gill is alleged to have choked and kicked Sinclair’s mother.
Police Prosecutor Inspector Stephen Telford asked for bail to be refused. He said that Gill was previously before the court on a charge of assault when he allegedly used a chain to choke Sinclair. The prosecutor said on that occasion Sinclair’s injuries were evident on the visible parts of her body.
He asked the court to note the abusive pattern of Gill since it has now extended to his mother-in-law.
Bail was then refused and the matter transferred to Court 2 for June 4.