PHILIPSBURG--A 22-year-old inmate of Pointe Blanche Prison received six months Wednesday as the Court found it legally and convincingly proven he had broken the jaw of a prison guard.
The Judge found it proven that Christopher R. McQuilkin had mistreated a prison guard while he was escorted to the dining room for breakfast on November 26, 2013, at 7:40am.
For the incident, he was disciplinarily punished by the prison director to 14 days in solitary confinement. He is currently sitting out a four-year prison sentence, which was imposed in 2013.
McQuilkin claimed he had received US $500 from the prison guard to fight with another inmate. He had, however, declined to do so, after which the problems started.
“This story is completely unfounded,” Prosecutor Gonda van der Wulp said. As to the nature of the injury, the Prosecutor said that although the victim’s jaw was dislocated after the incident, it could not be ascertained from the medical reports whether the victim had a chance of full recovery or not.
It was held against the inmate that he had shown a total lack of respect for a prison guard, who was doing his job under very difficult circumstances. “Many guards are afraid of inmates,” the Prosecutor said.
She requested an unconditional prison sentence because McQuilkin is already detained in connection with a previous crime.
Attorney-at-law Safira Ibrahim called for some understanding for her client as he was also injured in the altercation. “My client was hit first. He was injured to his lip and only responded thereafter,” the lawyer said.
The Judge dismissed self-defence pleadings. She found mistreatment proven, as there was insufficient evidence of severe bodily harm.
The Judge said the inmate should have filed a complaint against the prison guard instead of seeking redress in a violent way.
The Court was critical about the fact that it had taken a long time before the case was taken before a Judge. The Prosecutor pointed out that the police investigations into this matter had taken much longer than expected.
