Man sent to St Ann’s for 3 years

A SAN FERNANDO Judge yesterday committed a Siparia man to St Ann’s Psychiatric Hospital for three years, after he was found guilty, but insane, on a charge of wounding a woman with a stone, which left her permanently blind in one eye.

Boyie Straker was on trial for throwing a stone at Sherry-Ann Boodram, while she sat in a taxi, two years ago. For Boodram, the sentence handed to her assailant did not seem to matter, because it could not help restore sight to her right eye. “They could have given him a shorter space of time. It doesn’t matter to me, but I want to be normal again,” Boodram said. Straker, of Coora Road, Siparia, was also ordered by Justice Alice Yorke-Soo Hon to return to the court for review after the three-year-period. Justice Yorke-Soo Hon presided over the case in the San Fernando Second Criminal Court and Straker was represented by attorney Beecham Maharaj.

The incident occurred on November 23, 2001, around 8 am. Boodram was sitting in the back-seat of a taxi travelling along Coora Road. State prosecutor Narissa Ramsundar told the court Straker, who was walking in the direction towards the taxi, had a stone in his hand and threw it at Boodram as the taxi drove alongside him. Boodram was knocked unconscious and taken for treatment at San Fernando General Hospital. Boodram was hospitalised for three weeks and doctors told her she had permanently lost vision in her right eye. Straker was charged with wounding with intent and last Monday was found guilty, but insane, by the jury. The accused, the court heard, began showing signs of mental illness since the age of 16. Dr Iqbal Ghany told the court Straker had been his patient since 1981, and the accused was diagnosed with chronic schizophrenia. Dr Ghany said Straker would suffer delusions, hallucinations and memory loss.

In the witness box, Straker told the court he had no recollection of the incident. Yesterday, Dr Ghany told the court that Straker could make a satisfactory recovery if he continues treatment. Justice Yorke-Soo Hon said she was concerned for the  safety of society and whether Straker’s family could exercise control over him.