Too long, says Judge

The languishing of convicted persons awaiting sentencing at Her Majesty’s Prisons could constitute grounds for appeal for Lawyers, says High Court Judge, Frederick Bruce-Lyle.{{more}}

Bruce-Lyle made the point last Friday, June 5, at a sentencing matter involving murder convict Rudolph Lewis.

“These sentencing matters are becoming a problem, and very soon, some smart Lawyer is going to appeal on the grounds that their client is being held in custody so long after their convictions,” the learned judge said.

Lewis, 29, of Questelles, was found guilty on May 18, 2009, for the murder of his common-law wife, Marcia Agatha Quammie, on March 22, 2008.

Director of Public Prosecutions, Colin Williams, told the court that the Social Inquiry Report was present but the Psychiatric report had not been completed since the Psychiatrist at Mental Health Centre was on vacation. Lewis will be sentenced on June 19, pending the psychiatric report.

Meanwhile, 18-year-old Devon Ambris, who pleaded guilty to a manslaughter charge on May 20, also suffered the same fate as Lewis.

Ambris’s sentence was stood down until today, pending a Social Inquiry Report. The court heard that Psychiatric report had been done that same week and was not circulated in time for sentencing.

The young man was charged for causing the death of Fitzroy “Poison” Browne of Arnos Vale on April 7, 2008.