33-year-old to serve 19 years for severing arm of former friend

By Kemarlie Durrant

A Campden Park man who chopped off the arm of his ‘close friend’ after they became ‘enemies’ will now spend the next 19 years behind bars contemplating his transgression.

33-year-old Alpheus Stevenson may also meet eye-to-eye with his victim who is also in prison serving time for child pornography, abduction and indecent assault.

Stevenson appeared before Justice Rickie Burnett at the High Court #2 on August 4, where the 19-year sentence was handed down. However, he will only spend 18 years 10 months and five days behind bars after time spent on remand is deducted.

A nine-member jury had earlier found him guilty of the September 13, 2018 wounding of Dion Baptiste at Campden Park.

According to the judge’s summary, the complainant and Stevenson were very close friends prior to September 2018.

They worked together briefly and would often socialize at Omar Robinson’s bar at Campden Park. However, following an incident that took place between them at their place of employment, they became enemies.

In the first week of September 2018 at about 4 pm, Baptiste was at Omar Robinson’s Bar when Stevenson visited and an argument broke out between them. However, the intervention of Robinson prevented any escalation.

Stevenson left the bar first, then Baptiste did so later. At about 2 o’clock the next morning, Stevenson went to Baptiste’s home brandishing a cutlass and damaged a door while banging on it in a “fit of rage”.

As a result, Baptiste exited his home and chopped Stevenson about three times.

Stevenson did not report this incident to the police. However, the police became aware because he was hospitalized and thus commenced an investigation.

He told the police he was unaware of who chopped him and he also told them that he did not require any police action.

One week later, about 11 pm, Stevenson went back to the bar where he met Baptiste and viciously attacked him with a cutlass. Baptiste sustained multiple chop wounds and his right forearm was almost completely severed; only being held on by a piece of skin. Subsequently, the entire arm had to be amputated. Baptiste also sustained an injury to his back, which extended to his lung. He lost consciousness immediately after the attack.

On arriving at the scene, police met Baptiste in front of the bar lying unconscious with what appeared to be blood pouring profusely from the wounds he sustained. He was taken to the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital for medical attention.

Stevenson was arrested the following day and during his account of what transpired, he claimed to be acting in self-defence.

Burnett told the court that Stevenson expressed remorse for his actions and has been described by his family as a hard-working man who was not violent. Members of his community confirmed this, saying that he did not interfere with anyone.

Baptiste informed the social worker that the loss of his hand impacted him negatively and he would like to receive compensation as he is unable to work. He said he has to pay persons to wash for him and do other basic tasks. He said he is right handed and that was the hand that was lost.

The judge started his sentencing at 18 years.

When highlighting the aggravating factors of the offence, Justice Burnett found that it was motivated by revenge, and the complainant was unarmed. He said the violent incident in which Baptiste had injured Stevenson was a mitigating factor. The aggravating factors outweighed and one year was added.

Aggravating of him as an offender, was that Stevenson has two previous convictions for robbery and assault. While mitigating was that he has good prospects for rehabilitation and he has a young child.

Though the victim stated his willingness to accept compensation and the prisoner also agreed to this, the judge decided not to depart from the sentencing guidelines, and as such Stevenson was sent to prison.

He has spent one month and 25 days on remand and this was deducted from his final sentence.

Stevenson was represented by Counsel Carl Williams while Cornelius Tittle led the case for the Crown.