BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – A man, who was convicted for having sexual intercourse with a pig and was found guilty on October 12, 2010 for inflicting grievous bodily harm on his neighbour, has received more jail time following his recent conviction.
William ‘Scudumba’ Gift of Sandy Point was sentenced yesterday (Nov. 2) to serve six years at Her Majesty’s Prison (HMP) for causing grievous bodily harm on Clive ‘Fegs’ Murray on February 28, 2008.
Evidence presented during the trial before His Lordship Errol Thomas stated that Murray was on his way home when Gift jumped over a neighbour’s wall fence and started beating him with a pipe.
Dr. Cameron Wilkinson, Medical Chief-of-Staff at the Joseph N. France Hospital, was one of the witnesses called to take the stand by the Director of Prosecution, Paulina Hendrickson. He told the court that the night when Murray was taken to the hospital he was treated by Dr. Solas, who no longer resides in St. Kitts.
Wilkinson said that Murray was assessed as having a compound fracture to his right leg, as two bones were broken, and he was hospitalised until March 4, 2008.
When asked if he had anything to say before he was sentenced, Gift said he did not have any altercation with Murray.
He said his home was destroyed by fire and that he is presently a prisoner at HMP.
Barrister-at-Law John Cato, who was present during the court proceedings, volunteered to speak on Gift’s behalf, noting that he had represented the convicted man in the past.
Cato said Gift is a mature person who was employed at the Public Works Department and that alcohol is “his only drawback”.
“He has spent most his time in useful service to society. He’s a skilled carpenter/mason/mechanic. I am asking your Lordship to not visit him with a custodial sentencing…the prison is overcrowded already,” Cato said.
Before passing sentence, His Lordship said Gift had ambushed his neighbour and advised that “a man of your maturity and these now learned skills should be helping young people in society”.
His Lordship said that Gift has several previous convictions, including battery, threatening language, beastiality and possession of cannabis, and noted that he had committed almost every crime one could think of and yet given light sentences.
“The court considers those were your chances. You’ve had your day of leniency, you will be sentenced to six years to run consecutively,” he said.
Gift was convicted of beastiality at the last Assizes and is currently serving an 18-month sentence for that crime.
