Steve Allicock was on Tuesday sentenced to 60 years imprisonment for murdering Wendell Tappin on Old Year’s Day back in 2009. There was absolute silence in the courtroom as the 12-member jury unanimously returned a guilty verdict for the December 31, 2009 stabbing to death of Tappin at Hill Street, Albouystown.
It was contended that on the day of the killing, Tappin had an altercation with three members of the Allicock family before he was stabbed and chopped.
Guilty: Steve Allicock
Steve Allicock, a 35-year-old father of seven, begged for the court’s mercy, maintaining his innocence. He reiterated that he was nowhere near the scene of the crime.
State Prosecutor Tuanna Hardy reminded the court that Allicock’s knife pierced Tappin’s heart, who was just 33 at time of his demise. She asked for a sentence to commensurate with the actions of the accused.
As there were no mitigating factors offered by Defence Counsel Maxwell McKay, presiding Judge Navindra Singh handed down the 60-year sentence, and ordered deductions for time Allicock spent on remand. All the while, several of the Albouystown man’s family members were seen weeping in court.
Allicock’s father, Leonard Allicock, who was himself acquitted for Tappin’s murder in September 2014, questioned this jury’s assessment, and exclaimed that the prosecution’s case was filled with discrepancies. Meanwhile, Wendell Tappin’s mother, Sylvie Kishore, however indicated that justice was fairly served.
“Finally I get justice after nine years [and] I am satisfied,” the mother remarked.
She highlighted the impact the death of her son has had on the family as Wendell had a son at the time of his demise and his wife was pregnant with another child.
“That child doesn’t know his father but he’s very brilliant in school and is doing very well,” Kishore expressed outside the High Court.
Her son suffered multiple stab injuries, evidenced by wounds of varying depths. The pathologist gave the cause of death as shock and haemorrhage due to stab wounds.
Following the stabbing in 2009, Tappin was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival. Six witnesses testified throughout the trial, including Dan Tapppin, who placed Steve Allicock at the scene of the stabbing. Allicock’s uncle, Randolph Allicock and father, Leonard Allicock had all been charged with the murder of Tappin.
Leonard Allicock appeared before Justice Diana Insanally, and was acquitted of the murder of Tappin, after a jury had unanimously found him not guilty of the crime. State Prosecutor Hardy led the State’s case with assistance from Tamica Clarke and newly admitted State Counsel, Seeta Bishundial.
