Carlo Malik Webster Jr. was sentenced to five years and three months in prison Tuesday for stabbing a man at the Jungle Bar in March 2017.
Mr. Webster, who was 21 at the time and is now 23, pleaded guilty for wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and carrying a restricted weapon – a knife – at night.
Justice Roger Chapple read the facts of the case on Tuesday before issuing his sentence. The judge said the confrontation was caught on CCTV, and that he had watched the footage before making his sentencing decision.
Mr. Webster was involved in an altercation at the bar, and Justice Chapple said the footage clearly showed the defendant pulling a knife and stabbing the complainant. The stabbing happened nearly 30 seconds after the initial altercation had ended.
“The attack was, it seems to me, entirely unprovoked,” Justice Chapple said. “There was no reason for the defendant to become involved at all, no less twice.”
The court heard that the knife left a 5×2 centimeter wound to the complainant’s lower right abdomen, and he was taken to Cayman Islands Hospital for emergency surgery.
Justice Chapple said that the victim spent a week in the hospital and was later brought back for further treatment, adding that he suffered financial loss through medical bills and loss of wages totaling more than $12,000.
The defendant had had an “unstable” childhood and lived with his father until he was shot dead, Justice Chapple said, and he was later sent to a boys’ home. The court heard that Mr. Webster had appeared before the court for 15 various offenses, starting in 2012.
Defense counsel Jonathon Hughes said that his client was clearly remorseful, but Justice Chapple noted that he is at a “very high risk of re-offending.” The judge also noted that the defendant did not plead guilty until a month before trial and nearly 17 months after the incident had occurred.
Mr. Webster was sentenced to 7.5 years for the wounding with intent charge, but Justice Chapple noted that he was due a 20 percent reduction for his guilty plea.
That brought the sentence to six years, and it was further reduced because the defendant had served 508 days on an electronic monitor and curfew.
Justice Chapple credited him for 254 days before arriving at the final sentence of five years and three months.
Mr. Webster was also sentenced to a year for carrying the restricted weapon at night, but that charge will run concurrently.
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