A father accused of assaulting his stepson after he stole a piece of fish was yesterday sentenced to nine months imprisonment after pleading guilty to the charge in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court before Magistrate Hazel Octive-Hamilton.
Gavin Rodney of Tucville Park on May 22, assaulted his ten-year-old stepson so as to cause him actual bodily harm.
According to Police Prosecutor Corporal Simone Payne, on the day in question the child stole a piece of fish from the pot and Rodney inquired from the mother whether she had taken the fish and she denied this. The child also denied taking the fish, but Rodney smelled the child’s mouth and then took a piece of electrical wire and beat him.
The mother then made a report to the police station and the man was arrested and later charged.
After pleading guilty, Rodney explained that this was not the first time the child had been dishonest since he had taken money from his pockets on several occasions and he had always thought that it was the boy’s mother who was responsible.
On the day the incident occurred, he said, “I confronted the mother thinking that it was her; she denied. I investigated and realized that it was gone and left it as that. I scolded him but not with an electric wire but a cable.”
The magistrate, upon hearing his explanation, reminded him of an old proverb which says “when u tek goat u gotta tek kiddie”. She said it meant that as long as he took the mother, the same love which he had for her had to be extended to the child. She further stated that he had caused actual bodily harm to the child, therefore the nine months she was giving him was time to reflect on his actions.
