Curtis ‘Selassie’ Joseph, a 49-year-old Sion Hill resident who choked his 71-year-old mother, Carlita Williams, and threatened to kill her, was sentenced to nine months in prison last Friday.
Senior Magistrate Rickie Burnett handed down the penalty at the Kingstown Magistrate’s Court, after Joseph pleaded guilty to assaulting the woman, causing her bodily harm.
The facts revealed that on November 5, 2021 Joseph, who was living with his mother, arrived at her premises at around 5:45pm, seemingly intoxicated.
He proceeded to call his mother whore and bitch, and threatened to kill her. He held her by the throat and started to choke her, saying, “I will kill you, I will kill you.”
Joseph released the woman only after her grandson arrived at the scene.
The woman made a report to the police, and Joseph was subsequently arrested. He gave a statement admitting to the offence.
Senior Magistrate Rickie Burnett was seemingly shocked to know that Joseph was still living with his mother, and causing her that level of stress.
“At age 49, you cannot be living with your mother and causing her stress, calling her whore, choking her, and telling her you are going to kill her. Find your own home.” the Senior Magistrate told Joseph who has been a regular at the Serious Offences Court and the Kingstown Magistrate’s Court for several years. He has a string of convictions for theft and burglary, and has been to prison on several occasions.
Joseph told the Court on Monday, “I put my hands around her neck, but I did not choke her. I love my mother.”But prosecutor Curlene Samuel told the Court that it was not the first time Joseph was doing this to his mother. “What you have done to your mother is wrong,” Burnett told the defendant in a stern tone of voice.