Sentencing review for mentally-unstable La Brea arsonist in November

A HIGH COURT judge has adjourned the sentencing review of a La Brea man who pleaded guilty to setting fire to his mother’s house in 2005.

Kerry Gour appeared virtually from the Eastern Correctional Rehabilitation Centre.

On Monday he was ordered to be sent to the St Ann’s Psychiatric Hospital until November 17 for a new evaluation.

When the matter comes up for hearing again on November 17, Justice Lisa Ramsumair-Hinds has asked for the hospital’s psychiatrist, the probation officer assigned to Gour’s case, the Commissioner of Prisons, and the prison’s doctor to be present at the hearing.

Ramsumair-Hinds was expected to do a sentence review for Gour. Instead, she said having being recently assigned the case, she wanted more updated reports before she gives her decision.

Among those reports are the latest psychiatric evaluation of Gour as well as a report from the probation’s officer on suitable and available facilities available.

“I need those fresh reports,” she said.

She was also told some private institutions were identified but there was a fee attached, and any referral to a government institution would have to be done through the regional health authority.

“We are going to have to discuss it a little more. I need more information,” she said.

She also said it was necessary to engage the prison authorities, since Gour required continuous psychiatric care and the St Ann’s Hospital has “repeatedly communicated their challenges in housing prisoners with certain dispositions.”

Gour is represented by attorneys Carolyn Seepersad-Bachan and Saskia Bachan. The State is represented by prosecutor Anju Bhola.