Taxi driver who chopped, stabbed wife to death gets life sentence

Gavin Gill, the 33-year-old taxi driver who admitted to beating and chopping his 21-year-old wife to death was on Friday sentenced to life imprisonment. The sentence was handed down by Justice Sandil Kissoon who is presiding at the High Court in Berbice.

On October 20, Gill appeared in court and pleaded guilty to murdering his wife, Omwattie Gill on March 30, 2019, at Tulsie Street, Williamsburg Village, Corentyne, Berbice. At that hearing, he had professed his love for his wife. “I’m sorry for what happened…I love my wife so much,” he cried.

It was reported that Gavin Gill used a motorcar to hit the mother of his child, who was at the time making her way to work. He then exited the car and stabbed her multiple times with a knife to her abdomen and back.  He slashed her throat and forehead and then chopped her to her neck which was almost severed.

An autopsy revealed that the young woman died as a result of shock and haemorrhage due to stab wounds. During his sentencing hearing on Friday, It was disclosed by a probation officer that Omwattie Gill had visited the probation office in Berbice and complained about her husband being a habitual drinker.

She had also complained that he had a practice of borrowing large sums of money from people to support his heavy drinking. The young woman had told officers that he would demand her to pawn her jewellery, even her wedding band, in some instances, to repay his debts.

The now dead woman had also complained that on many occasions she had her child were left without basic needs. As such, she moved out of their matrimonial home to go and live with her mother.

A few weeks before her death, Omwattie Gill had taken out a restraining order against her husband. Gavin Gill, the court heard,  had also visited the probation officer seeking help to save his marriage.

Justice Kissoon, in his sentencing remarks, described the woman’s murder as a “planned and premeditated act.” The Judge added, “Women are not drums to be beaten…”

Having regards to the prevalence of intimate partner violence and other factors, the Judge sentenced Gavin Gill to life imprisonment. He must serve 20 years before being eligible for parole. He will be given credit for time spent in pre-trial custody. Gavin Gill has two other children from a previous relationship.