Minibus driver jailed on causing death charge

Therwin Hopkinson, the minibus driver charged with causing the death of William Trim on March 5, was on Monday jailed for four years.

He was convicted of driving minibus BBB 1302 in a manner dangerous to the public thus causing the death of Trim on March 5, 2016 at Aubrey Barker Public Road, Greater Georgetown.

The Court heard that on the day in question, the defendant had passengers in his bus and was driving in a reckless manner, overtaking several motor vehicles, when he collided with the car driven by the now dead man.

The impact of the collision caused the motor car to move some distance away from the point of impact and Trim to be thrown from the vehicle. He was picked up in an unconscious state and rushed to a city hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

In handing down the sentence, Magistrate McLennan stated that the prosecution’s witnesses were found to be credible. She added that the Court was also satisfied with the evidence that was presented by the prosecution.

McLennan noted that the injuries sustained by the deceased as a result of the accident were the cause of his death. Thus, she said, the prosecution had proven its case beyond reasonable doubt.

The Chief Magistrate revealed that the Court did not find credible the defendant’s defence that the

McLennan found the defendant guilty as charged of the offence.

Upon hearing the court’s decision, Hopkinson begged for leniency on the grounds that he has two young children – 18 months old and 4 years old respectively.

However, McLennan did not waver in her decision, stating that a life was lost.