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by: – April 30, 2018

KINGSTOWN, St Vincent (CMC) – A magistrate Monday sentenced a pastor, his wife and daughter to four years in prison after they were found guilty of pouring hot liquid on a man following what they described as a “spiritual warfare” two years ago.

Senior Magistrate Rickie Burnett imposed the sentence on Nigel Morgan, his wife Althia, and their 23-year-old daughter, Crystal, following the assault on Cuthbert “Mafia” Victory, which left him with burns to his back, shoulders, chest and face.

Senior Prosecutor Adolphus Delplesche had argued that the trio had planned the assault on Victory on April 9, 2016.

A video of the incident, which was widely circulated on social media, showed the older Morgans holding Victory while their daughter pours on him what was later revealed to be a hot liquid. The video was not tendered in evidence, reportedly because police did not secure a deposition from the person who did the recording.

In her defence, Crystal Morgan told the court that she was feeling ill and was about to make a cup of tea when she heard noises that suggested that her parents were under attack.

“I felt as if my soul left my body,” she told the Kingstown Magistrate Court even as she acknowledged that she could not recall how she left the kitchen on the upper floor of their two-storey house, to the street, where she poured the hot water on the man.

She told the court that even up to the point of giving evidence she did not know who it was that she had hurt.

In their defence, the older Morgans presented themselves as having been under attack by Victory, a 39-year-old construction worker, who had gone to visit a friend who was the Morgans’ neighbour.

However, they admitted in court that they had attempted to use olive oil on the man while, praying for him even though he had not requested any spiritual help.

But the state’s main witness, Clint Antoine, who was the Morgans’ neighbour at the time of the incident, told the court that the pastor and his wife, had been engaged in an exchange of words with Victory.

He said during the fracas. Morgan placed his hand on the bottle then placed it above Victory’s forehead.

The witness said Victory swung his hand and Mrs. Morgan held on to him and they began fighting.

Antoine told the court that the trio continued fighting before Victory was subdued by the Morgans and the daughter then poured the contents of a black and silver kettle on him.

On their last court appearance on April 13, the Morgans hired their own camera crew to photograph and videotape reporters covering the court case.