Appeal ruled the six month term handed down in the Supreme Court last year was "manifestly inadequate''.

The 24-year-old son of recently retired Deputy Commissioner Mr. Alex Forbes, who has been on $20,000 bail since his Supreme Court conviction for almost a year, began his sentence immediately.

Forbes was convicted on June 12 of wounding Derrick Seymour with intent to cause him grievous bodily harm while armed with a machete. He was sentenced to six months in prison a month later.

His victim in the July 4, 1993 incident sustained an 18-inch gash to his right shoulder, which required 18 stitches to close.

Yesterday the Appeals Court rejected an appeal by Forbes to reduce the sentence, and instead agreed with the Attorney General, saying six months "`would hardly be a deterrent to others''` and should be increased.

"Therefore, we quash the six-month sentence and replace it with 18 months which will take immediate effect,'' Mr. Justice Kempster said.

He added that although lawyer Mr. Kim White, representing Forbes, had stated that by reason of Forbes' father's position, "the appellant's life in prison would be harder than other inmates with a less fortunate background'', they concluded the sentence was "manifestly inadequate''.

"Violence can only be met with a substantial sentence,'' Mr. Justice Kempster said, citing previous sentencings. "A sentence below three years is normally handed down when there are unusually strong mitigating factors. Personal violence demands a degree of severity.'' The ruling came one day after an appeal by Forbes against his conviction been rejected by the Appeals Court, headed by President the Hon. Sir James Astwood.

The Crown, represented by Attorney General Mr. Elliott Mottley QC and Mr.

Brian Calhoun, appealed the six-month sentence on the grounds that it fell under unusually strong mitigating factors, "to which there were none in this case''.

"The wounds inflicted on the victim were not threatening, but still very serious,'' Mr. Calhoun said.

And he also questioned whether the sentence would operate as a degree of deterrence.