BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – MARCUS BURROUGHS-CHARLES escaped custodial sentencing yesterday (June 10) after being convicted of a wounding offence, but was issued a fine and ordered to make compensatory payment to the victim.

The young man was charged with the July 3, 2008 “wounding with intent” of Andy Jeffers of Central Cayon. According to his evidence, the incident arose from a misunderstanding over payment for services rendered.

He explained that having been laid off from his construction job a couple of days before the incident occurred, he was at home when a former co-worker visited and gave him a package from his boss, “Mr. Abraham”.  His said that the package contained $1 000, which was at least $500 less than the sum he was expecting to receive.

Jeffers further explained that he was to have passed on some of the money to Burroughs but, because it was less that what he expected, he kept it and telephoned the accused to inform him of the situation and that he should contact “Mr. Abraham” for his payment.

Jeffers added that he left his home “to go and lime” and it was during that time he saw the accused and spoke to him about the matter. He said the accused responded by saying, “Don’t worry about it. Yours gun done before tomorrow anyway.”

Jeffers told the court that when he arrived at his home, he met the accused sitting [alone] in his yard and he paid no attention to him and went into the house.  Sometime after, he said he heard persons talking in the yard and on investigating he saw the accused and another former co-worker.

In an attempt to resolve the previous situation, Jeffers said that he stood in his doorway and was speaking with the accused but, “we were not getting anywhere…I asked him to leave the premises…He refused to leave the premises. I was cutting of a jean pant and the scissors got caught in the curtain cloth in the doorway and it fell outside. Then I saw Marcus pick up the scissors violently”.

Jeffers said he was attacked by the accused, a struggle ensued and he sustained a number of injuries to his hands and other parts of his body, which were inflicted by a machete.

The virtual complainant told the court that he was taken to the Joseph N. France General Hospital and was treated for his injuries.

The jury unanimously convicted Burroughs-Charles on the charge of “unlawful wounding” and found him not guilty of “wounding with intent”.

Presiding judge, His Lordship Francis Belle ordered him to pay $5 000 within the next six months or serve three years in prison. He was also ordered to pay $12 000 compensation to Jeffers within one year or serve three years at Her Majesty’s Prison.