Hubert Pilgrim, who allegedly fatally stabbed nursery school teacher Natalie Loncke in the head at her Norton Street home last February, was committed yesterday to stand trial in the High Court.
Before handing down her ruling, acting Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine Beharry asked the accused if he had anything to say. He responded: “You can continue with your proceedings, Your Honour.”
Magistrate Sewnarine Beharry informed the accused that sufficient evidence was presented against him for the matter to be committed to the High Court.
Relatives of the deceased including the daughter of Loncke who was lashed across the face with a bar, allegedly by the accused, were very emotional.
The allegation is that on February 12, at Georgetown, Pilgrim murdered Loncke.
Outlining the facts of the case, Prosecutor Stephen Telford said that Loncke and Pilgrim had shared a visiting relationship. He explained that on the day in question, around 5.30pm, Pilgrim had visited Loncke’s home, where they got into an argument.
Telford said that during the argument at Loncke’s Norton Street home, Pilgrim became violent and armed himself with an iron bar, with which he hit her to the head.
The prosecutor said the woman was subsequently rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital, where she was pronounced dead on arrival.
The court then heard that after the incident, the defendant fled the jurisdiction and went to Suriname, where he was later arrested by police there and subsequently handed over to local police.
Loncke was a mother of two and a teacher at the Selman Fraser Nursery School in Albouystown.
