Martial arts expert Dwight Gloster was yesterday advised to practise the discipline he teaches after he was convicted of slapping his step-daughter during a heated argument in January. San Fernando Fourth Court magistrate Alicia Chankar found Gloster, 30, guilty of assaulting his step-daughter Shenika Phillip occasioning a wound. "You should instil your own discipline on yourself," she told him. Gloster was arrested by Woman Police Constable Pitt and charged with the January 2, 2011 offence. He pleaded not guilty. Phillip, a mother of one, suffered injuries to the mouth and bruises to the cheek and hand.
Chankar placed Gloster on a $5000 bond to keep the peace for two years. In default he will return to court for conviction and sentencing.
While the Magistrate acknowledged that Gloster was wrong to inflict the injuries she also advised Phillip to "learn to temper your own words." "It takes two to tango," Chankar told her. "Two man-rat cannot live in the same crabhole." Gloster and Phillip admitted that since the incident they have continued to occupy the same house. Sgt Russel Ramoutar, who prosecuted the matter, told the court Gloster and Phillip were at their Claxton Bay home at around 11 am on January 2 when they got into an argument.
During the heated exchange, Gloster followed Phillip into a room of the house, grabbed her by the hand and slapped her across the left cheek. Gloster denied this. He claimed he did not hit Phillip and had merely brushed away her hand. However, Chankar noted that a medical certificate had been presented and clearly showed injuries had been inflicted.
