A 22-year-old man, who is accused of stabbing his stepfather, was on Thursday arraigned at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court on an attempted murder charge.

Joel Persaud, a welder of Little Diamond, East Bank Demerara, appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan and was not required to plead to the indictable charge.

Particulars of the charge alleged that Persaud, on June 16, 2019, at Little Diamond, with intent to commit murder, wounded his stepfather, George Jones. In court on Thursday, Persaud explained that he was at home eating when his stepfather approached him from behind with a cutlass and dealt him several chops about his back. However, according to the police statement which was read in court by Prosecutor Gordon Mansfield, on the day in question, Persaud had asked his mother for some food and became abusive when the woman refused.

Jones intervened and an argument ensued. It is alleged that Persaud became annoyed, armed himself with a sharp object and stabbed his step- father about his body. The victim was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), where his condition is listed as critical. Prosecutor Mansfield also told the court that based on police investigation, it is alleged that Persaud sustained his injures after he scaled his neighbour’s fence which had spikes on it, following the incident.

The Chief Magistrate refused Persaud bail and remanded him to prison until July 8, 2019.