Teenager who threatened to stab deputy principal reprimanded, discharged and placed on bond

A former student of the Barrouallie Secondary School who was remanded into custody after threatening to stab the school’s Deputy Principal, has said that the two nights he spent in jail “was the worst experience of my life.”

Vennol Culzac, 18, of Barrouallie, a school dropout, appeared at the Kingstown Magistrate’s Court on February 5, 2024 before Senior Magistrate Colin John where he pleaded guilty that on February 2, 2024, at Barrouallie he entered upon the compound of the Barrouallie Secondary School as a trespasser to with intent to commit an offence, to wit “to intimidate; without lawful excuse in a public place to wit, “the Barrouallie Secondary School”, and had in his possession an offensive weapon, “to wit a scissors” and assaulted Raffique Durham of Barrouallie with intent to commit an offence to wit wounding; and assaulted Durham with intent to commit an offence to wit “bodily harm”.

The Senior Magistrate remanded the teenager into custody until Wednesday of this week to give the Culzac a chance to decide if he would like to spend a longer time in prison. When Culzac appeared before Magistrate John again he told the Senior Magistrate that he does not want to go back.

“It was the worst experience of my life and I would not like to go back. Up there is not good,” the teenager remarked.

John then reprimanded and discharged the young man and placed him on a bond for one year in the sum of $500 in default of which he will spend six months in prison.

The facts surrounding this case were that Durham is the Deputy Principal of the Barrouallie Secondary School, and was in charge of the school on February 2, due to the principal being absent.

While Durham was heading down a flight of stairs leading towards the form one section, he met Culzac at the bottom of the steps dressed in a black t-shirt and a blue jeans pants. He immediately questioned Culzac if he was a student of the school, and Culzac replied, “no.”

Durham then asked Culzac to leave the school compound, but the young man kept walking along the corridor until he met a dead end. As a result, Durham pulled out his cellphone and took a photo of him. Culzac then demanded that Durham delete the photo.

Culzac walked towards Durham, pulled a pair of scissors from his back pants pocket and threatened to stab the Deputy Principal with it.

Culzac swung the scissors at Durham several times, causing Durham to back away from him. He then picked up one of the school’s chairs and swung it at Durham in the presence of some students at the school. Durham eventually escaped, went inside the principal’s office and contacted the police at the Barrouallie Police Station where PC 830 Keil entertained the report.

PC Keil met Culzac at the the roadside at the school and informed Culzac of the report that was made against him. He then requested to search Culzac to which the young man complied. However, no scissors was found on him. Culzac was then arrested under suspicion of criminal trespass, offensive weapon possession, and assault.

Later that day, Culzac offered to show the officer where he had hidden the scissors. Culzac directed the officer to some bushes near to where he was arrested. The next day, Culzac was cautioned and interviewed. He also volunteered a statement in writing, and was later arrested for the offences.