Roach sentenced to 16 years for manslaughter
Begs Court for mercy

By Terresa McCall
Reporter-SKNVibes.com

BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – JOSHUA ROACH was today (Dec. 1) sentenced to serve 16 years at Her Majesty’s Prison with hard labour for the manslaughter of Loxley James; an offence to which he pleaded guilty.

Following a month-long hiatus, the September 2008 Criminal Assizes resumed today with traversed and rescheduled cases as well as Roach’s sentencing hearing.

The 25-year-old was originally charged with James’ murder, and on September 29, 2008 he pleaded guilty to manslaughter.

According to the facts of the case, on March 19, 2004 at about 8:00 in the evening, Wayne Pemberton went to the premises of the deceased to purchase some ‘weed’ (marijuana). As he was about to leave, Roach, in the company of two individuals, rushed into James’ yard holding a white-handled gun and was waving it about.

Roach opened fire and shot Pemberton in the foot and also shot James five times. James was left where he fell and Roach assisted Pemberton into a bus which took him into Challengers Mountain.

The injured James was taken to the Joseph N. France General Hospital where he fought for his life for approximately 10 months after which he succumbed to his injuries.

Further facts in the case are that Roach was taken into police custody and, during an interview in January 2006, he admitted to firing shots at James on the night in question.

Defence counsel Hesketh Benjamin, during his plea in mitigation, explained that according to Roach’s account of the incident, he was merely providing assistance to someone whom he felt was in trouble.

Other evidence in the case is that Roach and others went to James’ resident to reclaim some weed which they believed he (James) stole from them. According to Roach’s account of the incident, both he and Pemberton bore guns. Roach further stated that he felt it necessary to defend Pemberton as he believed James would have gotten the upper hand.

Benjamin told the court that Roach is the victim of a number of circumstances that might have played integral parts in nudging him towards and unsavory lifestyle.

Roach, as pointed out in court, was abandoned by his mother while yet a babe and left with his father who in turn passed him on to relatives. Although he attended primary and secondary schools there is no record of academic progress. He is the father of four children, three boys and a girl.

Benjamin argued that because Roach had obligations to meet, he may have been “enticed” into making a living unorthodoxly.

An impassioned plea was made this morning at the Basseterre High Court of Justice by Roach’s aunt Gwenneth Percival, who explained that she did all in her power to steer Roach in the right direction but her efforts were futile.

“I beg you please be lenient with Joshua…Have mercy upon him…,” the tearful aunt pleaded with the court.

Just before sentence was passed, Roach maintained, “I was defending myself”, and asked that mercy be shown him and leniency be exercised.

In sentencing the young man, presiding judge His Lordship Justice Francis Belle said the fact that he didn’t waste the court’s time, the fact that he felt someone was in danger and the near three years he has spent on remand among other things, have afforded him a discounted sentence.

Joshua Roach’s 16-year sentence begins today.