Family ordered to pay compensation in acid attack case

A Christ Church family convicted of beating and attacking a neighbour with acid has been ordered to pay $20 000 in compensation, more than five years after the incident.

Father Clive McDonald Stoute, mother Petria Latoya Griffith and son Imarie Jecodi Griffith, of Fairview, Christ Church, were found guilty by a jury last year of causing serious bodily harm to Greg Burt with intent to do him serious bodily harm or to maim, disfigure or disable him on December 27, 2020.

Stoute and Imarie Griffith were also convicted of damaging a car belonging to Shadair Boyce on the same date.

Delivering her judgment in the No. 4 Supreme Court on Friday, Justice Laurie-Anne Smith-Bovell considered that in the unprovoked attack using a corrosive substance, serious and permanently disfiguring injuries were inflicted on Burt, requiring hospitalisation and surgery. Stoute and his wife were also deliberate in obtaining the acid to throw on the complainant, the judge found.

Burt has had to continue outpatient treatment for the scars which have left him unable to use his hand for heavy lifting.  He has also suffered financial loss.

As the father and mother were “the people who were instrumental in bringing the corrosive substances to the scuffle and escalated the incident”, the judge started with five years and gave four years to the son for holding down Burt and giving his father “the sword that the complainant was using to defend himself”.

Regarding the criminal damage offence, the court said a three-year custodial sentence was appropriate for both Stoute and Imarie Griffith for damage that was deliberate, reckless and posed a risk to the public; the extent of damage to the motor vehicle; and the use of a rock and sword to cause the damage.

Taking into account the trio’s mitigating factors, including their low to moderate risk of reoffending, the lack of previous convictions for Imarie or Petria Griffith and the son’s young age at the time of the offence, the starting points were reduced by one year for Stoute and two years for the others. Stoute’s time on remand was also taken into account.

Stoute and Petria Griffith were sentenced to three years in prison for the serious bodily harm offence, but this was suspended for the same period. Each was also ordered to compensate Burt $8 000, $4 000 of which was due immediately, while Imarie Griffith was ordered to pay $4 000 in compensation, half immediately or face two years behind bars. The family was ordered to pay the remaining balances by March 31, 2027, failing which their custodial sentences will be activated.

In addition, Justice Smith-Bovell ordered the father and son to pay $2 000 each in compensation to Boyce for the damage to her car, half of which was due immediately with the balance to be settled by November 29. If the funds are not paid, Stoute will serve one year 207 days at Dodds Prison, and Imarie Griffith one year.

The judge also placed Imarie Griffith on two years’ probation.

She said: “Should you successfully complete the probation with no further infractions, no conviction shall be recorded against you. If, however, you breach the probation order or are subsequently convicted of an offence within the two-year probation period, you shall serve concurrently two years and one year imprisonment for the serious bodily harm and criminal damage.”

Defence attorneys Kellyann Blackman and Jade Kennedy represented the family, while State Counsel Paul Prescod prosecuted with Acting Senior State Counsel Anastacia McMeo Boyce and State Counsel Maya Kellman.

The case will be reviewed on December 18.

(JB)