Sean Wallace leaves the Hall of Justice yesterday
after he was awarded damages for a beating he
received inside the Port-of-Spain State Prison.
PHOTO: KEITH MATTHEWS

Former prisoner Sean Wallace was yesterday awarded more than $300,000 in damages and costs after he was mercilessly beaten by prisons officers in jail.

Added to that, Justice Andre Des Vignes, ordered that his judgment be forwarded to the Commissioner of Prisons and the acting Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for action. Presiding in the Port-of-Spain High Court, Des Vignes said millions of dollars were being paid out by the State in cases like this and nothing was being done. He produced several judgments during the last ten years to show awards given by judges for licks imposed by police and prisons officers.

“When one thought that this would stop, the abuse continues. Notwithstanding what has been said before, the message has not gotten through to the rank and file. It paints a disgusting picture. No excuse has been given for the conduct of the prisons officers.” As far as Des Vignes was concerned, no investigation had been conducted in this matter. “This was barbaric behaviour, a wicked and unwarranted brutalisation of the claimant,” the judge said. Des Vignes said Wallace suffered mental anguish and great humiliation. He said the prisons officers took turns at beating and kicking Wallace about the body and face. He said Wallace feared for his life when he was attacked. Des Vignes awarded $160,000 in general damages; $70,000 in exemplary damages, $13,848 in interest, and $46,577 in costs. Gerald Ramdeen and Mark Seepersad appeared for Wallace, while State attorney Mitra Bhimsingh represented the Attorney General.

The attack

Wallace, 44, of Santa Cruz, was incarcerated at the Port-of-Spain State Prison on March 17, 2008. He was there to serve a sentence of 30 months. While sitting in the north-east corner of the prison, a bag with cigarettes came over the wall. According to Wallace, that was when his problems began. Officer after officer inflicted blows on him. Wallace said an officer named Ganpat hit him with a baton on his head. “I became disoriented and fell grabbing the wall. I said, ‘Oh God, Mr Ganpat, what is that.’ Ganpat took up the staff and jammed it into my ribs.”

Wallace said Ganpat beat him all over his body. During this time, Wallace said he was screaming. He said when Ganpat stopped beating him, he was then kicked in his face with his boots. The blows, he said, were so vicious, that he started to spit blood. Wallace said another prisons officer was passing in the corridor and turned to Ganpat and said, “Oh gosh, enough is enough, what yuh want to do, kill him?” Ganpat waited for the officer to leave and then he continued to rain blows on Wallace. The injuries were so severe that Wallace was taken to the Port-of-Spain General Hospital. He spent four days there before he was taken back to the prison.