BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - FOURTEEEN matters were disposed of during the September 2012; five of which were guilty pleas, five by guilty verdicts and the remaining four by not guilty verdicts.
The cases were those of Rodelle Clarke; Stearoy Scott; Rondel Hanley; Eugene Browne; Mikelton Tyson; Leroy Thomas and T'Sean Hendricks; Alex Claxton; Anthony Hodge; Kenneth Errol Cordwell; Kejel Mulcaire; Kasper Rouse; Denzil Huggins; David Payne and a juvenile; and Kassim Buchanan.
Clarke was found guilty on October 23, 2012 for abducting a woman from her home on Tuesday, June 7, 2011.
According to the facts of the case, Clarke entered the home of the victim while she was asleep with her children and, holding her at knife-point, took her from there against her will and held her for a few hours.
He was sentenced to three years imprisonment on December 11.
Scott was convicted on October 4 for the December 21, 2011wounding with intent and unlawful wounding of Kareem Richards, which took place in the vicinity of the Kentucky Fried Chicken at about 9:00 p.m.
Following the incident, Richards had to travel to the twin-island Republic of Trinidad and Tobago to remove a sharp object, which was part of the weapon that was broken and remained in his body when he was stabbed.
He was sentenced on November 1 to 10 years with hard labour.
Hanley was found guilty of building breaking and larceny on October 8. He had broken into Island Food Grocery Supermarket warehouse at Upper Prickley Pear Alley on February 15, 2011 and attempted to make away with groceries to the value of EC$33,031.56.
On November 1, he was given the maximum sentence of 10 years, which would run consecutive to the seven-year term he is currently serving.
Browne pleaded guilty to unlawful wounding on October 30, having been charged with one count each of robbery, wounding with intent and unlawful wounding of Jason Williams, all committed in Basseterre on January 10, 2012.
He was spared jail time on December 11 and ordered to pay an EC$1 000 fine. The fine was however reduced by one third due to his guilty plea, leaving him to pay EC$700 within six months or serve eight months in prison if in default.
Twenty-one-year-old Tyson was sentenced to two years and eight months at Her Majesty's Prison on November 1, having pleaded guilty to indecent assault at the opening of the September Criminal Assizes.
The offence was committed against a female under the age of 16 on September 21, 2011.
A 12-member jury on October 11 unanimously found Thomas and Hendricks not guilty of unlawful wounding and wounding with intent of Davion Jarvis, which was said to have been committed at Lodge Project on September 25, 2011.
Similarly, an eight-woman-four-man jury unanimously found Claxton not guilty of shooting with intent on October 1. He was said to have shot at police officer Cleavon Chumney of the Delta Squad and Defence Force officer Gareth Phillip with intent to do grievous bodily harm on November 17, 2011.
On the other hand, Hodge pleaded guilty to unlawful wounding at the opening of the September 2012 Criminal Assizes.
He was charged with the March 22, 2011 wounding of Patrick Nicholls with intent to do grievous bodily harm at Godwin Ghaut.
On November 1 he was sentenced to 10 years in prison which was reduced by one third for his guilty plea. He is serving six years and eight months.
Likewise, Cordwell, at the opening of the September 2012 Criminal Assizes, pleaded guilty to wounding Thiron Mulraine with intent to do grievous bodily harm in Basseterre on April 8, 2012.
He was sentenced to 12 years on November 1, which was reduced by one third because of his guilty plea. He is instead serving eight years.
Mulcaire was found not guilty of engaging in unlawful carnal knowledge with a female under the age of 14 on October 25.
The alleged illicit act is said to have been committed in Middle Island on July 23, 2011.
Rouse was charged with wounding with intent and unlawful wounding; an offence which he committed on September 16, 2010. He was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment, which was reduced by one third given his guilty plea, leaving him with a six-year seven-months sentence.
Kasper and his cousin Kenville Rouse, both of Fortlands, Basseterre, were jointly charged with the unlawful wounding and wounding with intent of 28-year-old Gregory 'Webber' Mills.
The incident reportedly took place at about 6:00 a.m. in the vicinity of the St. Kitts-Nevis Fire and Rescue Services (SKNFRS) in Basseterre, where the victim was stabbed several times.
The Rouse cousins' trial was scheduled to begin on December 3, but when the jury selection was over Kasper made the change in plea.
Former Postman Huggins was unanimously found guilty on November 5, 2012 for neglecting or refusing to deliver post mails which formed part of his duties as a postman. The offence was committed during the period April 1, 2006 and May 31, 2007.
According to the facts of the case, during the period in question, Huggins failed to deliver 794 post letters which were found unopened in his home when searched by police officers under a search warrant.
On December 11, he was ordered to pay a fine of $5 000 within one year. Failure to pay would result in incarceration for 18 months.
Payne and the juvenile were cleared of their robbery charges when found not guilty on October 30.
They were said to have robbed St. Clair Nathanial Gumbs of EC$600 on the evening of May 20, 2011.
Buchanan joined his brother Chaddin in prison on November 1 when he was sentenced to serve 12 years for wounding with intent and unlawful wounding.
He was charged with the November 14, 2009 beating of Leroy Viera of Mount Idle, Sandy Point sometime after 5:00 p.m. on Station Street of that town.
He was convicted on October 3.
