Charles gets 10 years for wounding his brother with intent

Disabled New Chapmans resident Egbert Thomas is satisfied that justice was served on Wednesday,{{more}} October 5, when his brother was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment for wounding him with intent.

Last week, resident High Court judge Frederick Bruce-Lyle handed down the custodial sentence on Jasper Charles, after he pleaded guilty to the charge halfway through the trial.

“Me feel ah kinda good now, because he got 10 years and me feel ah rite fo that; I always wanted justice to be done… This man chop me for nothing,” Thomas told SEARCHLIGHT outside the court house.

Assisted by a pair of crutches, Thomas, 48, hopped into the witness box to tell his tale. The disabled man told the court that on March 12, 2010, at about 8:30 p.m, he was at his home, lying on the ground close to the front door, reading a newspaper, when Charles entered his house and began chopping him about his body.

“He tell me I done kill his father and now is my turn..,” Thomas recounted.

He told the court that Jasper was referring to his father (Egbert’s step-father), whom he testified was still alive.

During the ordeal, Thomas said he tried to fend off his attacker, but was unable to do. He sustained chop wounds to his legs, feet, hands and chest. Thomas said Charles fell back on a bed and that was when he was able to grab the cutlass, causing his attacker to flee.

Thomas was later rushed to the Georgetown Hospital, then transferred to the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital.

Thomas, with a perplexed look on his face, told the court that he had had a good conversation with his brother earlier that day.

Thomas said up until today he still experiences pain in his hands and can’t use them fully.

Orthapedic Surgeon, Dr. Charles Woods testified that Thomas now suffers with permanent disabilty in his hands.

In 2005, Thomas said he was involved in an altercation with another man in the mountains, during which he sustained chop wounds to his right leg, causing it to be amputated.

“When me been geh chop in me leg, me ain’t been get no justice fo that, so is like this one work now.”

Conducting his own defense, Charles did not ask his victim any questions regarding the incident.

After a 15-minute court break, the prisoner indicated to Justice Bruce-Lyle that he wanted to change his not guilty plea.

When asked why he chopped his brother, Charles replied, “He (Thomas) gave me something to smoke and then I turn around and chop him,” he explained.

Director of Public Prosecutions Colin Williams led the crown’s case.(KW)