Brother to undergo counselling after axe attack

However, Teeluckdharry Bridgelal, 55, of Debe, will have to undergo counselling sessions locally in order for him to learn how to control his temper, a magistrate so ordered yesterday after she found him guilty of malicious damage to property. The charge alleged that at Gandhi Village, Debe, near Penal, Bridgelal took up a pick axe and smashed the vehicle owned by his brother, Gangaram Bridgelal. The incident happened in September last year and Teeluckdharry pleaded not guilty.

After a trial before Magistrate Kerrianne Byer, he was found guilty and yesterday before sentence was passed, Bridgelal told the magistrate that he paid his brother $40,000 in compensation.

In passing sentence, Byer told Teeluckdharry that she took note of the fact that the reason for the attack stemmed from an old incident between the brothers a year ago. “You held a grudge against your brother for over a year.

How do you and your brother get along?” You think your action was reasonable?” Byer asked Teeluckdharry.

The charge was laid by Police Constable Matloo of the San Fernando CID.

The magistrate then asked Teeluckdharry if he ever underwent anger management and he said that ten years ago, he had counselling in the United States.

Byer asked him if the classes helped the situation and Bridgelal said he believed it did. The magistrate pointed out that such a charge carries a custodial sentence, but she considered Bridgelal’s clean previous criminal record and the fact that he had adequately compensated his brother for the damage.

However, she ordered him to pay a fine of $5,000 or serve a year in jail. Magistrate Byer further ordered that Bridgelal be placed on six months probation.

He is to report to the probation office in San Fernando, where officers there would arrange an anger management programme for him.