Man jailed 30 years for killing baby by setting home on fire

A 24-year-old man who set fire to a Kaneville, East Bank Demerara (EBD) house, killing an eight-month-old boy was on Wednesday sentenced to serve 30 years in prison for the crime.

Following a trial before Justice Sandil Kissoon, Nigel Dodson was found guilty of the January 23, 2017 murder of Romain Seth, which occurred during a fire at a house located at Lot 906 Fourth Field, Kaneville.
The early-morning fire destroyed the three-bedroom home of Michelle Menezes several days after Dodson, who resided at the same premises, threatened to kill her entire family, over his gun which had gone missing.
When the jury delivered the verdict, Dodson, who appeared virtually in court from prison, looked expressionless. When given a chance to speak, he maintained that he was innocent and questioned what he was still doing in jail.
State Prosecutor Nafeeza Baig urged the court to impose a sentence that reflected the nature and gravity of the offence. Baig described Dodson as a “menace to society”, stating that the killing was premeditated and even after he was found guilty, he expressed no remorse.

In handing down the sentence, Justice Kissoon noted that Dodson set fire to the home having no regard for the value of human life. The Judge said that an entire family could have been destroyed as other persons were living at the home. According to the Judge, Seth was an innocent baby who did not get to enjoy the wonders of life.
The Judge explained that the court must balance the interest of justice with the interest of society. In this regard, Justice Kissoon noted that the court had to ensure that the punishment imposed for the crime served as a deterrent to like-minded individuals who may want to consider committing similar heinous acts.
Because of Dodson’s young age, the Judge declined to impose the life sentence as he believed the young convict could be rehabilitated for reintegration into society. Justice Kissoon, in calculating an appropriate sentence for Dodson, started at a base of 25 years.
To that, the Judge added five years for aggravating factors, including premeditation, endangering the lives of others, and destruction of a property. Dodson only becomes eligible for parole after serving a minimum of 25 years.
Dodson, who was represented by Attorney-at-Law Adrian Thompson, was on trial at the High Court in Georgetown.