Union Island man jailed for 15 years, 4 months for the murder of a fellow islander

Valentines day was not one of love for convicted murderer, Denroy Tittle who was sentenced to 15 years and 4 months for causing the death of another man in 2019.

Tittle, a 40 years old resident of Union Island, was sentenced at the High Court No.1 on February, 14, for the stabbing death of 35 years old Richardo Stewart of Union Island.

In handing down the sentence, Justice Brian Cottle said that in the sentencing guidelines provided, where an offender takes a bladed weapon to a scene intending to use that weapon to commit any offence, to have it available to use as a weapon, and then uses that weapon to commit a murder, the offence is normally regarded as sufficiently serious with an appropriate starting point of a sentence of 30 years imprisonment within a range of 20-40 years. The High Court Judge referred to other specific paragraphs of the sentencing guidelines which helped him determine a starting point of the sentencing.

He began at 25 years imprisonment. Cottle then went on to examine the aggravating features of the offence.

The judge found that the attack was unprovoked.

“It is clear that the prisoner has anger control issues and perhaps his limited formal education may have left him ill equipped…”, Cottle said. He found no mitigating factors of the offence.

He then looked at the aggravating factors of the offender and found there were none.

However, in his favour Tittle had no previous relevant convictions; had surrendered himself to the police; co-operated; and had also expressed remorse.

The mitigating factors outweighed the aggravating factors, as a result two years were deducted from the sentence.

Tittle was given a full 1/3 discount off his sentence for pleading guilty. This brought the sentence down to 15 years and four months.

He had already spent three years, seven months and 27 days on remand and this was also deducted from his sentence.

The prisoner therefore has 11 years, eight months and three days remaining in prison for the murder of Richardo Stewart.

Before handing down the sentence, Justice Cottle told the court that the prisoner is 40 years old and his formal education at the Union Island Primary School ended at Senior two at age 16.

Tittle resided on Union Island and it was there that on the evening of June 12, 2019 he entered a bar in Ashton. He approached the bartender and ordered food and drinks which were served; the bartender told them how much they cost.

Tittle searched in a bag he was carrying but apparently was not able to find money to pay for the order.

It was said that the deceased, Richardo Stewart, was a patron at the bar and having observed the interaction between Tittle and the bartender,advised the bartender to take back the goods as it appeared Tittle was unable to pay for them.

Tittle became irate and, in expletive- laced language asked Stewart if he wanted to be stabbed. Stewart responded using expletives and asked Tittle if it was just so he wanted to stab him.
Tittle took a knife from his bag and Stewart began to step away, but Tittle stabbed Stewart several times and one stab wound penetrated the man’s abdomen.

Tittle then grabbed the items he had ordered and ran out of the bar. Stewart was taken to the Union Island Hospital where he spent two days and was then transferred to the Milton Cato Memorial hospital where he died.

Two days after Stewart’s death, a cousin of Tittle went in search of him. She told him that Stewart had died and he should surrender himself as he was wanted by the police. Tittle then showered, dressed, packed a bag and went to the police station.