Update | Judge says Matthew Hyde case had 'significant degree of brutality and cruelty' in handing down over 15 year sentence

Former University of the West Indies student Matthew Hyde, who tortured his ex-girlfriend after holding her captive for three days in his dorm room, sat for over an hour watching unflinchingly as he was sentenced to 15 years and seven months' imprisonment.

The 20-year-old, who had been in custody since the heinous February incident last year which sparked public outrage, was sentenced to 15 years and seven months for one count of causing grievous bodily harm with intent, and four years on three additional counts of causing grievous bodily harm with intent.

He was also sentenced to five years and nine months for malicious communication, one year and nine months for assault occasioning actual bodily harm and one year and ten months for false imprisonment.

Justice Carolyn Tie Powell, in handing down the sentence, deducted one year and ten months from each sentence for time spent in custody. The judge, in arriving at the sentence, gave Hyde a 15 percent discount for his early plea.

The sentences are to run concurrently.

This means he will serve another 13 years and nine months behind bars.

Hyde, who pleaded guilty in September, not only used an electric iron to sear the complainant on her buttocks, her breasts, her nose, lips, forehead, arms, cheeks, and both sides of her back, but also kicked her, pulled her by the hair, held her by the throat and had beaten her with a belt.

The second-year biochemistry student, who had burned the complainant after ordering her to strip naked and allowing her to take cold showers at intervals, had also taken pictures and video of the complainant and posted it on his Whatsapp status and also shared them with at least one person.

Justice Tie Powell in handing down the sentence for causing grievous bodily harm, which was the most severe count, opted not to impose a life sentence. Instead, the judge said a determinate sentence was more appropriate as the case was not the worst of the worst.

At the same time, she noted that the case had a significant degree of brutality and cruelty and that what Hyde did was horrifying.

“I have not come across another case of branding as this case may be described or case of torture as this case may be described,” she said.

- Tanesha Mundle

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