Rickai Dickinson Sentenced To 10 Years

March 8, 2012

[Updated] 27-year-old Rickai Dickinson was sentenced to 10 years in prison this morning [Mar.8], and must serve 5 before he can be considered for parole.

Mr Dickinson admitted handling a firearm minutes before his trial was due to begin earlier this week. He had been charged with handling the gun in St George’s on June 5, 2011.

A police statement issued after the incident said, “On Sunday afternoon, 5th June, police officers were conducting proactive patrols in the east end especially in the area of Mullet Bay and Wellington Slip Roads.”

“Their attention was drawn to a group of men who were acting suspiciously and a search revealed a quantity of controlled drugs for which the men were arrested. A further search revealed a firearm and ammunition concealed nearby.”

Update: After changing his plea to guilty to the charge of unlawfully handling a firearm, 27 year-old Rickai Tessfer Dickinson was this afternoon sentenced to 10 years in prison with the Judge’s order that he must serve at least five years before being considered for parole; and that time already served should be counted.

Dickinson had been intercepted by police in St George’s. The firearm, an automatic pistol, was found to be loaded with ammunition and covered with Dickinson’s DNA. The pistol was also identified and recorded as one that had been used in other firearm incidents

Crown Prosecutor Carrington Mahoney had recommended a sentence between 12 and 14 years, whereas defence counsel Craig Attridge had made a lengthy submission seeking a sentence of no more than 8 years.

Before receiving sentence, when asked if he had anything to say, Dickinson rose, said that he apologized to the court and to his new-born daughter and asked that the Court should be lenient with him as he was trying to turn his life around and already regretted missing his baby daughter’s first tooth and first steps.

Passing sentence, Justice Greaves pointed out that Dickinson had a criminal history of violence against other persons, had already served prison time, was on probation at the time that he was intercepted by police, and by the pictorial evidence of his own camera-phone, had been associating – during his probation – with known gang members, thereby breaching one of the conditions of his probation order.

A second charge of handling ammunition was not proceeded with and will lie on file as a charge that can be brought later if the Crown so wishes.

In his bright orange remand prisoner’s sweat-suit ensemble, Dickinson was handcuffed, led away, and hustled into a waiting prison van before being driven off to Westgate Correctional Facility.

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Comments (66)

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  1. EL LOBO NEGRO says:

    So at what point did he handle the gun? Maybe I need to take English again.

    • Bewildered says:

      Not sure too many will understand you, but you’re correct.

  2. Hammer Of Man says:

    He got 10 years for shooting a gun in the air. Wow most corrupt judicial system ever. but a rapist only gets 10? I hate this island. Im a law abiding citizen but the system bending the rules is getting out of hand. Dont be supprised a serious riot kicks over soon

    • Rummy says:

      You must know know more than most Hammer.

      As for riots why would you even suggest that. Is it because justice is being dished out or because yah ace boy coped a plea.

      Don’t need riots. Thats a last resort of the curent frustrations that can be settled by just being a prick and not watch yah cousin die.

  3. BermyGuy says:

    I Notice That The Prison Van License In The Window Expired Jan 31st 2012. Now Thats Funnyyyyyyyyyy.

    • Family Man says:

      The Govt has no money to pay the insurance so they can’t get it re-licensed.

    • lol says:

      LOL that is funny! Pigs! They are so quick to lock us up for it!

  4. MR297 says:

    FREE RAT!!!!!! Stay up fam..See you soon

  5. Take all my $$$$ PLP says:

    I notice the License as well….LOL!!! and they will get away with it as always.SMH

  6. PORTO GIRL says:

    He should have been given 15 years, and not eligible for parole. Mandatory 15 years for possession of a gun and ammunition. His DNA was on the gun. Please, please Parole Board do not let these animals out on parole. Give me a break. he will miss his daughter!!!!! Had he shot someone, another parent would be missing their child. They all have an excuse. Saw that father on TV last night, he misses his son. felt so sorry for him.
    Parole Board must do what ever to keep these people locked up.

  7. Curious George says:

    Find the expired van more news than his prison time.

  8. East says:

    Freeee rat. Stay up dog. East side 4 Eva.

    • Rummy says:

      “East side 4 Eva”.
      Just because you can’t go to Swizzle Inn.

      Yeah…gues your right.

      Enjoy Gun Powder Cavern.

      • East says:

        actually I can go any and every where i want. me sayin east side for eva is due to the fact that this is where i was born and raised and grew up with mr. dickinson. st.georges is a close community so when something happens it affects everyone. ok a friend of mind got convited of doing something wrong, that dosent mean that i have to abandon them. just because i am supporting a friend of mind stupid ass ppl like you try hate. . You probly need to burn some herb. bumb ass rummy.

        • ganja mon says:

          LOL..Its these olf farts that dont understand the times. They sit home scared to out after dark..

  9. Stay UP says:

    Stay up Fam love u like life,, @ porto girl go lay down

  10. Send em' Jail HOUSE! says:

    Obviously he wasn’t worried about anything. That is always the plee, “I am trying to change my life around”. RIIIIIGHHHHTTTT. I feel sorry for this little girl of his. What future does she really have with a father like that?

    Shakin My Head – he should be sentence much more than that.

    • ESC Chica says:

      1st off I can not stand ignorant people. Speak about what you know. You do NOT know if he was trying to turn his life around or not. I personally know that he was. OK his DNA was on the gun. That was a mistake he made. He didnt shoot or kill anyone. AND he is doing his time. You have killers, rapist and child molesters out there that have been tried and gotten off. DO you think they are changing their lives around. I take exception to you talking about HIS daughter like that. SHe can not choose her father. And will have to deal with her situation. Maybe she will learn from his mistakes. She has a mother and other family that will mold her the way she should be.

  11. Frank says:

    If we know this gun was used in other firearm incidences, why wasn’t he, the owner/handler of the gun, charged with those incidences as well? Even if he didn’t commit those other incidences, why not put the screws to him and punish him for them? Maybe he will do some talking if he feels he is being wrongly accused of the priors? This seems like a no-brainer to me!

    • Kim Lindo says:

      So frank you are actually saying thay he should be punished for crimes EVEN though he didn’t commit them. Tell me who’s the animal?! Maybe YOU should do some time for a crime you didn’t commit and then let’s see if you change your tune!! Once again!! Glass houses!!

      • Can't Take It Anymore says:

        How do you know he did not committ them?

    • sooooooooo says:

      Hmmmmmmmmmmmm ! go figure

    • hmmm says:

      “Handling” doesn’t make him the owner! It simply implies at some point he touched it. Everyone has been singing the same song you are in previous cases and until the law changes these individuals will only get charged for what happened at the moment of the arrest. Unless he was to confess to all of it or they had another piece of evidence linking them together. Let’s face it we all know these guys share guns… He was just the one to get caught

      • Can't Take It Anymore says:

        Whats funny is that if a theif were to break into all the houses in your neighborhood, then another theif came and broke into your house and got caught, the theif who broke into your house would be charged for breaking into all the houses in that neighborhood. So again, why does he not get charged for all the other shooting incidents? He has the gun so he should be charged unless he can provide alternate detials.

  12. Mountbatten says:

    You can’t touch this …

  13. Kim Lindo says:

    Animals?!!! You don’t even know him!! He should have got 15??!!! Give you a break?! This young man was doing well with a good job and was taking care of his little girl whom he loves dearly. You should have kept those comments to yourself B!! Go sit down somewhere. Let he is without sin cast the first stone!! Stay up my son!! Stand firm and disregard any negative comments these people have!!! We – those that KNOW you are behind you and we LOVE you baby. XOXOXO. Now let’s see what you have to say about that from your glass houses!!!

    • Barracuda says:

      Lock him up

    • Ya Gota B Kiddin says:

      Kim u havent even been around 4 more than 1/2 that bye,s life.

      • Kim Lindo says:

        You don’t know where I’ve been or the relationship I have with my son or the circumstances pertaining to my not being on the island !! Why don’t you put a real name behind your comments?! I have been with him every step of the way!! Go sit down somewhere ya gotta b kiddin!! Don’t try and make this personal!! Your comments are like water off a ducks back! Imma continue to defend my bot because I know he has a good heart and isn’t the ‘animal’ you people consider him to be!! Stay up my son !!!! We love you Kai!!! Stay strong!! Xoxoxoxoxoxo!!

        • Ya Gota B Kiddin says:

          Kim u hav no idea what that bye has been up 2!! n trust me I DO!! he has just been a dam pain in St. Georges! ive lived there all my life n seen what he has done!!!!

          • ESC Chica says:

            So have I. And what his Mom was saying is right. He did have a good jon and was raising his daughter and doing right. St GEO old ass people make me laugh when they look down their noses at the younger generation passing stupid judgements. Talk about what you KNOW. Which is NOTHING. Yah. I know him and his family. And personally you sound like one of those people that always have a negative comment about everything. Its a shame that in BERMUDA especially in ST GEO people are labeled forever. You will never be able to get past or move beyond the PAST. You shouldnt be judged forever over a mistake for the rest of your life. smh.

    • East says:

      FREEE RATTT

  14. James Goodfellow says:

    These animals should be sent down for no less than 30 yrs. Bermuda needs to tackle this problem in a manner that produces results. Sending these vermin to camp for 5 years achieves nothing other than a sore bottom after all those ladyboy parties.

  15. Keepin' it Real...4Real! says:

    ya right all we know about him is that he handles guns…

  16. fed up says:

    people are backing this guy like he has turned hid life around must have done that when on remand i guess cause he was on probation already.Do the crime do the time.Streets are safer another gun off the streets and another coward behind a gun off the street.Now even his kid is safer out there.Good job.

    • East says:

      not everyone in this society that has a gun is a coward. some have them for safety.. streets un bda are that bad

      • amen says:

        You wouldn’t need them for safety unless you’re doing something you shouldn’t be.

        • East says:

          Tell Jason smith that. And Shane minors. And renee kuchler. Stephen burgess. Innocent people. I’m 22 years old. U lot don’t understand how bad te generation before mine left the streets. My brother has a masters in accounting and can’t get a f%$kin job. We didn’t create Bermuda we are jus living the environment that you created. I remember when all you older Bermudas used to say oh those guys ain’t real gangs. Like you wanted guys prove their worth. Well looks like you all getting what you asked for. UBp should have stayed in power. They allowed the ghetto yout to make their money in the street. They knew it was the only means. There wasn’t many killings and no one was stressed. Ya I have heard the stories about how a lot of you older Bermudas got ya start (costoms was real lenient back then). Now the new government stopping everything from comming in and there are no jobs in return. At the end of the day my family and friends gonna eat. Any way possible. Free rat!!

          • Eyes wide shut says:

            East you sound real ignorant yo!!! Excuses are nails that build houses of nothing! So when more of your fam and friends are shot, killed and maimed don’t say a word with your whiney justifications for ILLEGAL activity! U sound like your parents didn’t teach u one single thing about morals and right and wrong. Animals have no clue about charcter but men…human beings are supposed to be able to discern what is honorable and what is not. so stop insulting the level of integrity that God bestowed upon you by casting it aside and feigning inner weakness and positioning yourself to crawl on your belly. Walk with your head upright and do whats right even in the face of adversity and that will show us the mark of genuine strength and maturity and a person worthy honor and respect

  17. TheFuture says:

    Enablers are the other half of the problem on this island.

  18. FREE RATTY says:

    They cant keep a Good Man down!.. ALL you f*ckers need to fall back #TypicalBermudians #DONTKNOWS$#TBUTQUICKTOJUDGE

  19. PORTO GIRL says:

    Yes Kim spend your Sundays up at Westgate!!!!

  20. MY NIGAA says:

    FREE DE RAT.. KEEP YA HEAD UP KAI AND DONT WATCH NONE OF THESE NEGATIVE PEOPLE. IF IT WERE TO BE ONE OF THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS OR GOOD FRIEND THEY WOULD BE SINGING THE SAME TUNE OR WOULD NOT LIKE THE NEGATIVE COMMENTS ON BERNEWS OR ANYWHERE ELSE. PEOPLE SHUT UP AND GO ON WITH YA NEGATIVE BULL CRAP. ITS MESSED UP THAT HIS FAMILY HAS TO COME ON HERE AND READ ALL THIS CRAP ABOUT HIM. TO HIS MAMA STAY STRONG MOMS, YOU AND I BOTH KNOW THAT NOO ONE CAN KEEP KAI DOWN, HE IS A SWEET HEART AND LOVING INDIVIDUAL, YES HE HAS DONE SOME THINGS IN LIFE AND MADE A FEW MISTAKES BUT WHO HASN’T???? KAI WILL COME OUT AND BE SOMEBODY.. TRUST AND BELIEVE THAT… EAST SIDE HOLD FIRM, WE ARE A FAMILY THAT STICK TOGETHER THROUGH WHATEVER IT MAY BE, ST, GEORGES AND ST, DAVIDS A FAMILY TINGGG YAZEEEIT…. LOVE YOU KAI AND DE WHOLE OF EAST.. WE MISS YOU MY NI$GA, STAY STRONG.KEEP YA HEAD HIGH,AND TO ALL YOU NEGATIVE PEOPLE THATS GOING TO COMMENT ON THIS I DONTTT CARE BECAUSE YOU DONT KNOW HIM TO JUDGE HIM ‘REAL TALK’ SO TAKE THAT ONE PUT IT IN YA PIPE AND SMOKE IT! STR8 UPPP!! ESC 4 LIFE YAZEEEEIT I LOVE MY TEAM

    • amen says:

      What’s messed up is mothers who have to bury their sons before they reach their 25th birthday. What’s messed up is picking out which casket to bury their son in. What’s messed up is arranging a funeral. What’s negative is you little ignorant ass boys robbing and shooting people. Your own people at that. Get off your asses and get a real job. Don’t you think the rest of us are tired of it? But you are too young, too stupid and too ignorant to understand that. Now you have several seats, go watch some more BET, or Boyz In Da Hood and get some more inspiration for how you carry yourself through life. Yazeeit.

    • Kim Lindo says:

      Imma stay strong MY NI&GA!! Believe that !!Imma soldier and I tought mine to be too!! I always told them its us against the world!! But my heart still breaks for my youth!! Now atch them have something to say about that!! I love you Kai!!

    • ESC Chica says:

      For real thats the truth on the matter. Straight up. Luv you Kai. Stay up and keep positive to all his family and friends. Bless.

      • Ya Gota B Kiddin says:

        Another 1 Brain Dead!!

        • ESC Chica says:

          Yeah you are soooo eloquent. As a matter of fact my brain is FAR from dead. I am a well educated black woman. BUT your comments are the ones lacking reason.

  21. PORTO GIRL says:

    Please can’t you find yourself another pen name!!!!Justice Greaves pointed out that Dickinson had a criminal history of violence against other persons, had already served prison time, was on probation at the time that he was intercepted by police, and by the pictorial evidence of his own camera-phone, had been associating – during his probation – with known gang members, thereby breaching one of the conditions of his probation order. So much for our negative bull, it is what it is. He is a criminal and deserves what he got. Stick that in your pipe!!!!!

    • ganja mon says:

      & and are probably a $#%#. You dont see us using our pen names to call you out. If you dont know him your stupid comments are irrelevant and your opinion doesnt matter. If your a Porto girl, leave Bermuda and go back home !

    • ESC Chica says:

      First of all the picture evidence on his phone was of him and people he has known his whole life most of them family members. THIS is Bermuda people here are intertwined. Its really hard for a Judge to be able to tell WHO is friend vs family. For example if my brother was on probation and found himself in the company of say our OTHER BROTHER that happened to be labelled as a gang member would he be locked up again. This island is 21 miles long and 1 mile wide. How do you really distance yourself. Stick that in your pipe. LMAO grow up he can comment to you just like you did to him. And as far as not wanting to read the comments ahhhh maybe he is just tired of the commenters LIKE YOU. Someone that was obviously IMPORTED to OUR island by some means that wants to pass judgement on the Native Bermudians. The youth of today are a product of YESTERDAY. How many people from the generations before this one are all crack heads and junkies. This generation was doomed from JUMP. If Rikai had served his time and was trying to do right then ok. How does anyone know what he did. He touched a gun ok how do we know he wasnt taking the gun from someone a lot more heated than himself. He didnt shoot anyone and the gun wasnt physically on him. IF he was tested for gunshot residue to see if he had recently fired a gun Im sure that would have been negative as well. ITs a lot of IFS that could happen. I personally know people that are not in JAIL but should be. Yet our justice system has a corrupt way of existing. If you lock up 1 person for something lock everyone else up for that same crime. And why do some people get off for murder when there is an abundance of evidence. Because at the end of the day its WHO you are and WHO your family is. AND most definatley WHO the JUDGE is at the time of your trial. Bermuda is getting worse by the minute. Rikai got 10 years for having touched a gun. YET other people have stabbed, shot and killed people and do less time. What is the value we place on a life taken. Not as much as a life that COULD have possibly been taken by some1 like Rat, who touched a gun. Didnt physically have it on him BUT had his prints on it. Unbelievable.

  22. PORTO GIRL says:

    Ganja mon, I am home and aint going no where!!!! If you dont wish to see comments dont read Bernews. Go get some ganja and do yourself in.

  23. US Observer says:

    So where did the gun come from? We all know it didn’t swim across the Atlantic or in someone’s carry-on bag. Let’s talk about this issue of weapons entering into Bermuda.

  24. The nitty gritty says:

    Handling a gun is having a gun
    A gun that shot a man to death
    A man who may have been totally innocent
    You all know the law pertaining to guns
    Parents can either keep enabling their kids
    Visit them at Westgate or bury them.
    The tough guys are already in the cemetery
    There are at least 55,000 of us who are sick of it.
    There are 15,000 who would bring the fight to the perps
    You are outnumbered and only continuing because we have
    a spineless government who hobbles the police, courts and prison officers,
    You think we are going to let BDA get like JA with over 1,000 murdahs a year?
    Like I said ‘outnumbered’ so keep them pistols quiet or we will bring drones in..ha!

  25. No nonsense says:

    Omg harsher penalty please! Turning life around. Clearly not. Death penalty.

  26. stay says:

    Thats jus one little gun! Stay up RAT

  27. US Observer says:

    An eye for an eye…You take a life then accept the consequences. Life for Life.

  28. fed up says:

    The people backing this guy sound young and ignorant thats why the community is how it is.don’t blame goverment for your short commings you can go out and make something of yourself and dont be a statistic or be the other stastic and get shot or murdered by another gun that you say a innocent person may have like this guy who is so innocent.Young people need to wake up and stop the war amongst our own people all the heroes are dead.Trust me most of these counts are pussies anyway what happened to fist to fist and now want to rob guy for chains real nonsense dont envy somebodies gold get your own.Real talk love thy brother.

    • Ghettoyout says:

      i see were ya comming from because tru say it a lot of youts dat livin dat street life that dont have to… but at the same time it a lot of you that aint gotta choice… selling drugs in bermuda feed more mouths than you think… um 22 years old… at this point in my life in this country i dont see any other option.. i aint no street yout… im very respectable.. high school graduate…. and cant get a job that i can survive on… no money for college. no real family… but i gotta eat… #HustleHard…

      • Kim Lindo says:

        We all have to eat ghettoyout! That is true!! But for them that have it easy they don’t understand the hustle we have to do to survive!! I’m not condoning any robbing and killing but the hustle I understand!! We can work a full 40 hour week and still not make the rent elec and grocery bill!! U gotta do what you gotta do!! Such is life there on that tiny little island with a per capita income amongst the highest in the world!! Where doees it go? To Belco to rent to Marketplace and Cellular one!! Oh and maybe to the bank for a car payment or to your childrens school clothes and shoes and lunches and whatever extracurricular activities they MIGHT have!! If you don’t have $ for the extracurricular activities what are they doing? Sitting on the wall somewhere?! Latch key kids because their parents are working to keep a roof over their heads or food in their mouths!! I know people that work full time jobs! Both husband and wife that can’t keep up! 2 bedroom apartment 2 or 3 thousand $ a month?! What’s left to do but hustle on the side?! Its sad because those there making the laws AND dishing out the punishment for wrongs done are making their payments!! Even when they’re not from there!! Think about that all you that have so much to say!! Stay up ghettoyout!! And continue to do what you have to do to SURVIVE!! Such is the life of the insignificant ones!!! And we ARE insignificant to them!! Bless everybody that is in the same struggle!!

  29. lordsaint says:

    boo hoo hoo to all u people out there that think its ok to rob and steal and kill people. think about what happened? the judge did not give this rat ten years because he is a good guy. face the facts if u r a gangster then ride or die till the end not to the start of the court hearing. just pointing out the facts. what i cant understand is that if he is such a nice guy and that all of the east love this guy like hes johnny barnes but yet why no one has help him get a job or to be a real father. to all those out there that write big up well it time that u guys step up and start to get positive into these young peoples lifes before u try to do big up when they r faceing 10 years. we all have to come together but first we have to be able to SEE things for what they r and for what people r.

  30. Real N#gga says:

    Everybody on here dissin rat can F*%k off! Aunt Kim stay up