In a landmark ruling addressing correctional facility misconduct, Trinidad’s High Court has condemned prison officers for employing disproportionate violence against an inmate during a 2015 incident at Golden Grove Prison. Justice Carol Gobin delivered a scathing assessment of the officers’ conduct, finding the State liable for assault, battery, and negligence despite acknowledging the inmate’s initial provocation.
The case centered on events occurring July 4, 2015, during institutional lockdown procedures. Inmate Kurt Christopher Bridgelal, then on remand status, initiated conflict by discarding waste contents from his cell after being denied permission to bathe. When portions struck a prison officer, the situation escalated dramatically as the officer retaliated by hurling three successive pails containing human excrement and urine into Bridgelal’s cell.
Justice Gobin’s judgment emphasized that while Bridgelal’s actions constituted assault, the officers’ response represented “excessive and unreasonable force” that violated professional standards. The situation further deteriorated when officers extracted Bridgelal from his cell, employing physical restraint tactics that resulted in severe leg fractures requiring extensive medical intervention.
The State’s defense, claiming injuries resulted from Bridgelal’s attempted escape and subsequent fall, was expressly dismissed as inconsistent with evidence. Medical documentation confirmed fractures to both tibia and fibula bones, necessitating hospital treatment and prolonged immobilization.
Financial compensation totaling $150,000 TT was awarded, comprising $115,000 in general damages and $35,000 in exemplary damages—the latter specifically addressing the court’s condemnation of the officers’ conduct. Additional interest accrues from the incident date through December 18, 2024.
Legal representation for Bridgelal was provided by attorneys Amit Mahabir, Bernadette Arneaud, and Joseph Sookoo, who successfully established institutional accountability for correctional staff actions. The ruling reinforces judicial scrutiny over prison conditions and use-of-force protocols within Trinidad’s penal system.