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A Princes Town man has been sentenced for stabbing a man during an altercation in 2023.
Theo Serrette was sentenced to 11 years of hard labour for the unlawful killing of Shaqueal Keston Henry, also known as “Darko,” after pleading guilty to manslaughter on the grounds of provocation.
Serrette, who was originally charged with murder, admitted to stabbing Henry during a heated altercation that took place on November 2, 2023, near a Chinese grocery on Cacique Street in Princes Town. His sentence was handed down by Justice Mauricia Joseph-Patrick at the San Fernando Assizes.
According to the evidence in the case, Serrette and another man, known only as “Bobo,” had a violent dispute inside the grocery. Bobo hit Serrette with a pipe and tried to throw a bottle at him before being stopped by an off-duty police officer.
Henry, a friend of Serrette, held him back and told him to “forget that nah.”
Bobo then ran outside the grocery with a broom in hand while Serrette also left the grocery with a knife.
He approached Bobo and told him that he was going to kill Bobo and his brother. Later, Bobo and some other men started to beat Serrette who pleaded with the men not to beat him.
Henry again tried to calm him down, but Serrette turned on him and stabbed him, saying, “Doh part me when men on me, doh part me.”
Henry was taken to the Princes Town Health Facility by police but died shortly after 7.40 pm, the same evening.
Serrette was charged with murder on July 17, 2024. However, his legal team, Michelle Ali and Sarah Julien from the Public Defenders’ Department, wrote to the Director of Public Prosecutions in February requesting a plea deal for manslaughter on the basis of provocation. The State accepted the deal in March and was represented by Rebecca Trim-Wright and Bisram Ramdatt.
Justice Joseph-Patrick accepted the guilty plea during a hearing on May 8, and delivered her sentence after reviewing reports from probation officers and listening to arguments from both sides.
The judge considered several aggravating factors, including the public nature of the crime, the use of a weapon, and Serrette's criminal history, which includes prior convictions for possession of cannabis and an offensive weapon. She also noted that Serrette fled the scene after the stabbing.
However, Serrette received credit for showing remorse, acknowledging his need for change, and for his background and upbringing. The judge also recommended he take part in programmes for anger management, conflict resolution, violence prevention, and drug rehabilitation while serving his sentence.
A starting sentence of 20 years was adjusted to 21 years due to his past offences. Two years were subtracted for the mitigating factors. Serrette received a one-third discount for pleading guilty, bringing the sentence down to 12 years, eight months, and two days. With credit for time already spent in jail of one year, three months, and nine days, his final sentence was calculated as 11 years, 4 months, and 23 days which was rounded off to 11 years of hard labour.
The post Princes Town man jailed for 11 years for stabbing ‘Darko’ appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.