A man who allegedly severed his brother’s right thumb with a cutlass was yesterday remanded to prison.
Although Patrick Sinclair, 58, admitted to wounding brother Linden Griffith, a not guilty plea was entered on his behalf after he told Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry that it was an act of self defence.
The Georgetown Magistrates’ Court heard that on October 18, Sinclair unlawfully and maliciously wounded Griffith, with intent to maim, disfigure or cause actual bodily harm to him.
“We were sword fencing,” Sinclair, however, noted, while saying that his brother had abused him on a number of occasions but police never acted on his reports.
It is the prosecution’s case that Griffith had confronted Sinclair on the date of the attack, over allegedly stealing from his aunt.
Prosecutor Kerry Bostwick noted that while Griffith was later asleep in the living room, Sinclair entered the room with a cutlass and started dealing him several chops, severing the man’s right thumb in the process.
Griffith was taken to the hospital, where he reported the matter to the police and Sinclair was subsequently arrested and charged.
When given the opportunity to speak, Sinclair, who was in tears, said that his brother would from time to time hit him. “He does even beat me up for food,” he cried.
When the magistrate inquired from Sinclair how Griffith suffered his injuries, he said that they both had cutlasses and he attacked him in self-defence.
After hearing the explanation, the magistrate then entered a not guilty plea for the defendant. However, she remanded Sinclair, who lives at the same address as his brother. The case was adjourned to November 2 for reports and fixtures.
