North Shore Shooting: Sentencing Postponed
Two men who admitted their involvement in an October 2011 shooting near Gravity nightclub appeared before the Supreme Court yesterday [July 17] for sentencing, but their sentencing was put off until Thursday 19th July 2012.
Yesterday’s part hearing started one and a quarter hours later than the scheduled 2:30pm start as shown in timings published in the Supreme Court calendar.
Pelealkhai Williams, 23, and Jonathan Dill, 28, were brought in to sit in the prisoner’s enclosure after which proceedings got underway.
Noting that under the Firearms Act 1973, the maximum sentence for a first offence is imprisonment for not less than ten years and not more than twenty years, lead Prosecutor Cindy Clarke recommended a ‘global sentence’ of 12 – 14 years for Williams. Ms Clarke recommended a lighter sentence of between 18 and 24 months for Dill for his role as an accessory.
Ms Clarke told the Court that Williams and Dill had shown scant regard for community held values and that the behaviour of persons committing firearms offences is reinforced by those who assist them to evade authorities after the commission of an offence.
Ms Clarke said that it was the duty of the “Court to impose a sentence which will send a message to the community that this behaviour will not be tolerated nor treated lightly.”
Pelealkhai Williams was convicted on one count of wounding with intent to do grievous bodily harm by shooting at Rodney Grimes with a loaded firearm on October 8, 2011. Williams was also convicted on a separate count of conspiracy to commit an indictable offence with a firearm.
Jonathan Dill was convicted of being an accessory after the fact and to wounding with intent. Dill had described himself as having helped Williams to enable him to get away from the scene, despite knowing that Williams had committed an offence. The Court heard that that Williams was acting on orders from other gang members to shoot the victim.
Several weeks ago, Police had praised the convictions and the Department of Public Prosecutions for bringing the matter to conclusion without the need for a lengthy and expensive trial. At the time, Police had said: “The circumstances of this case demonstrate that, where there is evidence that any person knowingly assists in any crime, it will be thoroughly investigated and prosecuted to the full extent of the law.”
Mr Rodney Grimes, 25, from Devonshire, had been shot at and hit in the ear in the old Clay House Inn car park near Gravity Nightclub, on North Shore Road, Devonshire. The shooting happened around 3.20am on October 8, 2011 about the time that the nightclub was emptying. Grimes received minor injuries and was released from hospital following treatment. Williams is the self-confessed shooter. Dill rode the get-away bike with Williams as passenger.
Williams is represented by lawyer Shade Subair. Lawyer Craig Attridge represents Dill. Williams and Dill return on Thursday afternoon when the Court will hear mitigating arguments from their defence lawyers; after which sentence will be handed down.
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Give them both 20 years send the message out these young people they need stop the foolishness. You comitte you pay you help you pay.
So my question is who can change the Firearms Act 1973 in the next coming months to make it a stiffer penalty? If someone tells me it the PLP and OBA crew that take my money and talk smack every month I’m going to be @^#&#&. Now I’m going to ask both sides what the F@#@ have you all been doing?
Ok am I the only one that noticed the shooter confessed and is being charged with only 1 count and it isn’t attempted murder. Where are the possession of a firearm charges? By him admitting that he was following orders from gang members he should be charged under this new law. Make an example out of the little a$$es or stop wasting tax payers money
@a lil confused…
I’m with you on that!! When does it become attempted murder? Why no charge of firearm possession.
And with regards to the following statement… “Ms Clarke recommended a lighter sentence of between 18 and 24 months for Dill for his role as an accessory.”
What kind of BS is that?!?! 2 years, especially given the fact that he won’t serve the entire sentence, isn’t going to make any difference to him. He was an accomplice; knew exactly what was going down and should be given way more time!! What a joke!!
Can someone that knows our laws please explain to me why the prosecution never layers on charges like in the states i.e. multiple charges – like in this case: attempted murder, possession of a firearm AND ammunition (2 separate charges), committing a felony (whatever its called here)with an illegal weapon. These guys confessed and so they are prosecuted on only one charge; and given credit for confessing???
I don’t get our laxed system and ppl wonder why the violence escalates – there is no deterrant for these guys who don’t give a rats behind about themselves, their families or anyone else on this island. They hate themselves/ their life and take it out on others because of SELF-HATE. They are being used by those that don’t have the balls to commit murder themselves – can’t they see this?? Of course NoT, cause mommie & daddy didn’t love me and these guys (gang leaders) are my boyz – PATHETIC!
Our legal system needs to stop p#ssyfooting around,cut these guys b@lls off and bring them to their knees. I’m sick of this nonsense – my island home is not the same. We are allowing these demented kids to ruin what was once a peaceful, and friendly place I loved to brag was my homeland.
Because the Prosecutions dept. are under the gun to produce a higher conviction rate so as to not make the Leaders look so bad.
BY any means necessary.
Cop a plea and they will reduce shooting at the back of a person’s head to aggravated assault! or
maybe threatening behaviour.
At least he man up and admit to what he did. Geez give me a break.
Most Katz don’t even do that and waste folks money. He man up so give
him credit for that. Mercy
I guess!! Just a gram of an ounce. I mean he did save some money for the next @$$.
I hate to be this person but we have to start asking ourselves this question! if you go away and come back hide out in your house and still end up getting killed or attending a funeral of a fellow friend who has been killed, what are they suppose to do next?? Police cant stop it!!..You criticize these people but what would you in their shoes?? I know i wouldn’t have a clue but I don’t judge I leave that to God!!
When you dnt waist the courts time the judge takes certain things into consideration.