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by pltm
(PLTM) - 19 year-old Sebastian DeCastro Gray was sentenced to serve six months in prison for the charge of assault occasioning actual bodily harm in a matter where he brutally beat his father.
Gray, who pleaded guilty to the offence in his first appearance on July 19th 2016, made another appearance yesterday, September 1st 2016.
The court, presided over by Magistrate Vereen Vanterpool, ordered that his time already spent in custody since his arrest in early July be included in his sentence.
Prior to being sentenced, Gray offered an apology to the court and his family for his behaviour and stated that he had a flash back that led to an uncontrollable rage. “I hope it never happens again,” said Gray.
According to the particulars of the case read in his first appearance by the crown’s representative Melissa Brewley, on July 13th 2016, the complainant in the matter, who is the father of the defendant, arrived at his home at Lambert Estate where he was attacked by his son shortly after.
Allegedly, in the middle of eating dinner and watching television with his wife, his son Sebastian approached him reciting the Lord’s Prayer, then said, “Which one is it to go; you going to hell.” The father responded, “What are you talking about.”
It was at this point Gray attacked his father with a blow to the head.
The report noted that the mother, frightened, picked up the phone in efforts to call for help, which caused the accused to shout, “I will kill you if you don’t hang up that phone.”
The court heard that the mother locked herself in the closet for safety, while the accused continued to beat his father.
As the attack prolonged, Gray armed himself with a blender and hit his father in the head, then used the cord to choke him.
At this point, the father punched him and made his way outside for help, but the accused threw a rock at him.
The neighbors came to the rescue shortly after.
The complainant was taken to the Peebles Hospital where he was noted to have suffered from blunt trauma to the head and abdomen.
Subsequent to the arrest of the accused, he was taken to a mental health facility, which gave assurance that he was fit and able for trial.
Under interrogation by officers of the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force, Gray said that he knew what he was doing and knew that it was wrong. He stated that he had confronted his father about an incident that happened when he was younger and his father denied it.
He told the officers that he did indeed attack his father and added that his father tried to flip him and beat him up as well.
It was also noted that despite his words of remorse, he threatened to kill his family if returned home.
Brewley informed the court that the family had filed an interim restraining order, which stated that he had to stay 500 feet away from the family’s home in Lambert Estate, the school where his sisters attend and from his father’s place of employment.
In light of this, the crown also noted that the defendant was visiting his family in the Territory and had nowhere to stay if he was granted and meets bail. The crown had recommended that the court mandates he be deported to the United Kingdom.
The court granted the accused bail in the sum of $25,000 with one surety. The court had also requested that his surety be brought for evaluation before being released.
He was also ordered to attend counseling at the Family Support Network.
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