Man gets seven years in jail for slashing cousin

Mandel Joseph Cyrille, a young man from Vieille Case is now serving a prison term of seven years for having caused grievous bodily harm with intent to a cousin and neighbour. Cyrille also has to pay compensation of $5,000 to Kevin George, the virtual complainant.

Justice Wynante Adrien-Roberts, who along with a nine-woman jury attended the trial, imposed her sentence on Cyrille at the Roseau High Court on Friday, July 30, 2021.

Acting Director of Public Prosecutions Sherma Dalrymple with the assistance of State Attorney Daina Matthew called five witnesses during the trial from Monday, May 10 to Friday, June 4, 2021. Wayne Norde was counsel for the accused.

The virtual complainant Kevin George, 42, and the prisoner lived five yards away from each other in the Vieille Case hamlet called Tobino.

The incident occurred on the night of Saturday, February 10, 2018, when George said Cyrille slashed him on the back of my head with a cutlass.

Cyrille allegedly told him: "So long I marking you! I want to kill you!"

George suffered injuries to his left hand, wrist, and elbow.

Cyrille's defense was that it wasn't him because he was in Thibaud at that time.

The offense of causing grievous bodily harm with intent to cause grievous bodily harm carries a maximum prison term of 10 years. Justice Adrien-Roberts sentenced Cyrille to seven years in prison and ordered him to pay George $5,000 in compensation.