CHARLESTOWN, Nevis - THE April 2010 Criminal Assizes at the Nevis Circuit Court of Justice closed Thursday (Apr. 29) with a 15-year prison sentence of a Kittitian who resides in Bath Village, Nevis.
James Ham, who appeared before trial judge Her Ladyship Ianthea Leigertwood-Octave, was sentenced to serve 15 years at Her Majesty’s Prison for a rape offence committed on January 18, 2008.
On Thursday, April 22, 2010 a 12-member jury brought him in guilty with a 11-1 verdict and his sentencing date was set for April 29.
Ham’s attorney, Jason Hamilton, entered a plea in mitigation on his behalf, which was followed by Her Ladyship giving, what she termed, the aggravating factors of the case before sentencing him. Her ladyship ordered that his sentence must commence from January 2008, the date when he was charged for the offence and remanded to prison.
The case was tried in chambers but SKNVibes caught up with Hamilton who said, “We thought that there were some inconsistencies in the case, but the jurors saw it otherwise as they are entitled to do. But we will explore the possibilities of appeal and make a decision in the time allotted for that.”
Meanwhile, before bringing the April 2010 Criminal Assizes to a close, Chief Prison Officer Alton Liburd gave the Goal Delivery (the population and distribution of prisoners).
He declared that the prison population as of April 29, 2010 stood at 262; 258 males and four females. Two hundred and fifteen males and four females are housed at Her Majesty’s Prison in St. Kitts, while 43 males are at the Prison Farm in Nevis.
In addressing the state of over-population at Her Majesty’s Prison, Liburd said that ground has already been broken for the construction for a new penal institution but could not give a date for its completion.
Her Ladyship Ianthea Leigertwood-Octave then thanked all present for their contribution to the running of the Assizes and declared it closed.
