“Alcohol consumption can make us do things we regret” – Judge to manslaughter convict

Leonard Fredericks will spend the next five years and six months in prison for killing a 50-year-old man. Fredericks, 30, of Matthews Ridge, Region One (Barima-Waini), had earlier pleaded guilty to a manslaughter charge over the unlawful killing of Peter James, called “Ochro Man” on December 30, 2015. The custodial sentence was handed down to the convict on Monday by Justice Jo Ann Barlow at the High Court in Demerara. Fredericks was represented by Attorney-at-Law Teriq Mohammed while State Counsel Latifah Elliott appeared on behalf of the prosecution.

Reports stated that Fredericks stabbed James several times. The men, who had had a run-in two months prior, had been drinking at a bar at Hell Hill, Matthews Ridge on the day in question.
In a caution statement, Fredericks had told the Police, “Officer, me and “Ochro Man” had a problem two months ago when he lash me with a wood in my back. I see him in the club and I remember everything that he did to me. I had two knives in my waist and a cutlass, and I went up to him and I pulled out a knife and I started to stab he with it. I can’t remember how many times I stab he.”
A post-mortem report revealed that James sustained 10 incised wounds. His cause of death was given as haemorrhage and shock due to perforation of the heart compounded by blunt trauma.
In arriving at a sentence for the convict, Justice Barlow commenced at a starting point of 18 years. From that, she deducted six years for Fredericks’ early guilty plea and another six years and four months which reflects the time he has already spent in pre-trial custody.
Justice Barlow, in her sentencing remarks, advised Fredericks to use his time in prison to prepare for his release into society. She also warned him about the ills of imbibing too much alcohol.
While there is the view that a highly-intoxicated person is not the master of his own mind and that this can be used as a defence, Justice Barlow noted that she did not find that Fredericks was so drunk that he did not know what he was doing. She told him that she believed he was an intelligent person “and you must know what brought you to this place that you are in”.
“Whenever you are returned to society, you know that it is high wine and other alcoholic beverages that got you into the problem that you got into. And so, my advice to you is… I can’t tell you don’t drink, but I can tell you that you should not drink until you get to that place where you do stupid things. Alcohol consumption can make us do things we regret when we are sober. Try to always maintain a level, sober head so that you never find yourself back in the prison or in a situation where you have caused harm to another person,” Justice Barlow advised the convict.
Fredericks will undergo counselling for persons who committed offences while under the influence. (G1)