Court: Two Men Sentenced For 2011 Assault
In Supreme Court yesterday [Sept 5], Justice Carlyle Greaves sentenced Jamel Richardson to two years in prison and Ridge Mello-Sousa to one year in prison for their parts in a December 2011 joint attack on a man.
That attack saw the victim stabbed twice in the back and struck across the chest with a chain. He suffered a collapsed lung and required surgery.
Mr Richardson, who admitted to stabbing the victim, had pleaded guilty to wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm. Crown Counsel Nicole Smith argued that he should receive a three year sentence.
Mr Mello-Sousa had pleaded guilty and confessed that he had used a chain to strike the victim, and Crown Counsel recommended a one year sentence for him.
Both defendants leaving Court after their sentencing:
Lawyer Rick Woolridge told Justice Greaves that because of his deeply troubled background and personality, Mr Richardson required a kind and quality of care that simply did not exist in Bermuda. He told the Justice that Child and Family Services had already sent Mr Richardson overseas for specialized treatment that was not available in Bermuda.
However, during treatment period in the USA, Mr Richardson had assaulted another person. From this, he had been convicted of assault and had been sentenced to five years in prison by USA. However, Mr Richardson had been released after serving six months and had been repatriated to Bermuda.
Back in Bermuda, Mr Richardson had re-entered the Bermuda public school system even though he still needed highly specialized care. Mr Woolridge pointed out that in his view, Mr Richardson needed care and psychological support of a kind that was clearly not available in Bermuda.
Justice Greaves sentenced Mr Richardson to two years in prison followed by three years probation. He directed that the prison authorities should have the SIR on Mr Richardson, that while in prison he should be psychologically assessed and given all available psychiatric support.
Lawyer Aldwyn Savoury appeared for Mr Mello-Sousa. He acknowledged the Crown’s evidence that in police interviews, Mr Mello-Sousa had described himself as “a little backward”.
Mr Mello-Sousa had also told police he was trying to fit in and was “the only Caucasian in his classroom and always tried to fit in.” Mello-Sousa had described himself as a follower and the SIR and BARC reports supported Mr Mello-Sousa’s personal evaluation.
Mr Savoury argued that Mr Mello-Sousa’s part in the attack was the lesser and this was reflected in that the charge on which he was convicted was common assault.
Justice Greaves accepted that Mr Mello-Sousa’s part in the joint attack was not of the same order as Mr Richardson’s and handed down a twelve month sentence to Mr Mello-Sousa.
Mr Richardson had already spent eight months in custody and this time will be taken into consideration. Mr Mello-Sousa had spent one month in custody and that time will be taken into consideration.
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Not long enough for either one of them and they should both receive the same sentence!!
A random and vile attack.
Sad thing is, neither one of them are likely capable of reading or comprehending any comments posted.
Hope the ghoulish pair rot in jail!
I feel very strongly that NO inmate should be released until they have at least gained the basic High School qualifications. Why put them back in society with no skills at all. especially basic “reading and writing”. It should also be MANDATORY for them to pass these exams or else stay in prison until they do. It is incredible to see men of 20 something years of age with the mental capability of a 12 year old.
If he has already spent 8 months in prison and recieved a 2 year sentence. he could be out in just weeks given that 8 months is 1/3 of his sentence. Scary!
should have left Richardson in USA jail for the 5yrs he got…as for Mello-Sousa…flog him till he isnt backwards anymore….there are lots of backward people here and they don’t go around with chains…f#@kin sick n tired of this crap…gonna turn me into a criminal soon.
These kids had /have very serious mental conditions. Their not simply uneducated. our system has failed them completely and i’m just glad it wasn’t worse but i’m sure their stint in Westgate shall prove to be nothing more than and education on how to be worse when they come out. We need to start really looking at these issues and fixing them instead of throwing our children to the wolves.
oh no
Here I was feeling sorry for the ginger hair fella,(didn’t get to read the full story and all at first)But thought some of the bigger bullies were picking on him. I tell you more gingers are coming out nowadays.You know what they say ” A red head is a blonde with Attitude”. And you sir,your one bad as beotch! bahaha
im probably going to hell for this..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EY39fkmqKBM
fyi tho give me a nice ginger girl anyday!!! mraaarrr!!
Ridge I hope you read this and it helps you as you go through this period in life . . . having known you since you were a very little boy, you truly have been dealt a raw deal of cards, and yes you have always tried to fit in after many many years of being teased and bullied for things of which you had no control over.
Take this time to reflect on who you are . . . learn to love you, that sweet little boy who only wanted someone to love him for who he is . . . and make better choices for yourself.
This is not the ned of the world!!! You have made a poor choice and must suffer the consequences for them . . . but you have the opportunity to learn from it!!!!!
To the officers that have his care in their hands, protect him . . . yes he is “a little backward” (the correct term is intellectually deficient) and he will be some thugs prey while imprisoned.
To those that commented above . . . you truly don’t know the life that this young man has lived . . . and trust it has been tragic!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Neither Jmel nor Ridge belongs in Jail. They will both be ruined. More so Ridge than Jamel. It is unfortunate that we have no facility to treat these youg men. What about alternatives to incarceration. I really feel for their poor behinds.
Me too. Putting people with cognitive deficiencies in prison isn’t right. There should be another way of treating them, while protecting society.
Don’t feel for these guys. They committed a crime they need to serve the time. Yes they might have had a crappy up bringing but that is NO excuse. I can tell you one thing about Richardson, he is way smarter than this and he knows better.
You can not blame his childhood at all.
They were ruined when they made the choice to do the assault, and Jamel and not done this ONCE but TWICE.
All I can say is he needs to serve.
Criminals should be treated differently to people who have mental and cognitive deficiencies. In both cases society needs to be protected, but the consequence should be different.