Loading ...A 23-year-old man was recently sentenced to 18 months in prison. He had been found guilty of possession of firearm and ammunition. Pedro Laurison residing at Grand Riviere, was convicted for the crime a few weeks ago at the High Court. He was spared from a robbery charge that he was also facing.
According to the facts outlined by Prosecutor Seryozha Cenac Laurison, along with another man, robbed an elderly woman at gunpoint and took her cell phone and EC$30 from her.
The incident occurred at a grocery shop owned by the elderly woman at Degazon, Grand Riviere, on October 27, 2005.
She made a report and the police proceeded to the home of the defendant where a search was conducted.
According to the investigating officer, a .38 revolver and five rounds of ammunition were discovered under a rug in one of the bedrooms.
Laurison was arrested and subsequently charged.
The other young man who was involved is reportedly off island.
The defendant who had taken the stand denied the gun belonged to him. He said it actually belonged to a young man who rented from him at the time. Laurison referred to him as “John”.
However in a statement to the police, he had confessed that the gun belonged to him. When asked in court why had he done so, he replied, “I was afraid, I didn’t have anyone there for me at the time.” He added that he belonged to a “little crew” which “John” was also a part of and he did not know what they would do to him.
However, at the end of the trial Laurison was found guilty.
When reappeared before Justice Benjamin for his sentencing on his Attorney, Danny Francis submitted a plea in mitigation on his behalf.
“I respectfully ask this court for leniency,” he began.
Francis said the pre-sentencing report recommended a period of probation for his client. He however told the judge that if he decides to impose a custodial sentence, do not make it “too lengthy” or let it be a suspended one. However on that note, the judge interjected and stated that there is no authority in this jurisdiction for a suspended sentence.
He emphasized that his client had spent 1 year and 2 months on remand.
Francis pointed out that the first mitigating factor is that the offense, when committed, involved no violence with the said firearm. He also indicated that the ammunition did not match the firearm. According to Francis, the expert stated that they were incompatible.
But to this the judge responded that this is “neither her nor there” since matching ammunition could be found for the gun and vice versa.
Francis reiterated that the firearm belonged to “John” who resided with his client at the time.
Francis referred to the pre-sentencing report again in which those who knew him described his as “a nice fella”.
His father however admitted that he (Laurison) abused marijuana. Francis therefore stated that that may have led to his delinquency.
Another factor Francis pointed out was Laurison’s poor education, adding that his father finds himself blameworthy in terms of not financing his travels to school.
A crucial point made by Francis was the fact that his client was only 17 at the time he committed the offense.
He made reference to Section 10, 9 Subsection 3 of the Criminal Code of St Lucia (2004), which states:
A conviction of a person for a crime committed by him to her before attaining the age of eighteen years, shall not be admitted in evidence against him or her after he or she has attained the age of twenty-one years.
The minimum sentence for the said crime is 10 years in prison.
However, Francis argued that there are authorities, which suggest that the minimum sentence is merely a guideline.
Francis’ final submission dealt with his employment.
He stated that Laurison’s former employer indicated that he was an “excellent worker with the ambition and desire to excel”.
He described him as a “hardworker, very cool guy, quiet and willing to work”. He indicated that he would have no problem with rehiring Laurison if he were to be released.
Before passing sentence Justin Benjamin stated that he considered the young man’s age, among other things.
He did not take into account two previous convictions, which Laurison had on his record.
But he however stated that the court must express disapproval for the use of (illegal) firearm.
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Robbery with a firearm. The judge should have given him more time behind bars. Young people follow bad company, dont wanna work and wait for those of us who work hard to rob us at gun point sometimes even inflicting bodily harm.
The justice system needs to send out a strong message and make examples of the bad apples. Yes unemployment is at an all time high but these guys make no effort to find jobs, maintain them and keep out of trouble.
I fully agree with Concern Citizen.
it .looks like smokeing a spliff is worse than shooting some one,according to the way our cops act and the laws are,….gun crimes should be 25 years maditory to life.cocaine crimes should be maditory jail and as for weed its to late hefty fines for anything over an ounce anything less should be a ticketable offence so as to free up the system and end victimization yes simonic titan victimization …….
18 months only…now how the hell will gun violence ever stop? …some body tell me..this person should be in prison for at least 5 years….
now me,i am 27 NO JOB ONE CHILD A RENT and one woman and i think he shoud have sold the gun to the lady or some one
Do some shopping, buy some liters,jobs,benson,hems,tobaco,spice and little things to sell in a tray on the block .
He might have made more than 30$ in a day or two .
OMG LIFE IS HARD BUT THE GUY ROBED A POOR OLD WOMAN JUST LIKE HIM PUT HIS BUTT INSIDE 2 YEARS OR SO .
15YEARS FOR AMMUNITIONAN GIN IF ILEGAL SEND THE MESSAGE WE WI NT ALLOW ILEGA ACTIIVTY I OUR COUNTRY
HOW ABOSLUTELY PATHETIC …can only hope that the Judge’s family never has to experience anything such as this…the shoe always fits differently when it’s on your own foot!!!!
The justice system is a bunch of crap. Justice is about convicting the guilty, not proving that the guilty had reasons to commit a crime or has the potential to mix back in with society. A gun? with amunition? If he got trigger happy and killed the woman, what then? He would be punished to the fullest extent of the law? He has previous convictions also? C’mon St.Lucia, wake up. We’re tolerating too much nonsense. And everybody nowadays want to be a “savy” lawyer, ignoring the issue. If I was a judge, no lawyer could present me that bull as a case and expect me to look at them serious. I predict a vigilanty group rising in St.Lucia and administering a fair share of “justice.” And who wrote this report, they should be sentenced also for not using improper puntuation in a professional report. And what happens Mr. Judge when “Pedro” and his boys hold up your family or YOU. I bet you’ll feel like spider man when he let that thief get away who eventually killed uncle Ben. Do you want to be uncle Ben? I don’t. I want to be the man of steel, i.e whoever violates my family gets copper and steel and lead. Anyway, Pedro will be out and will commit another crime, maybe fatal, and as long as it’s not my family, I’ll be here again to say, “I told you so!!”
SUP will not tolerate gun violence…..25 years minimum to life is what we want for any illegal arms pocession…..again BOLD NEW ATTITUDES is what we need to end this vicious cycle of violence……..thank god change is comeing
i refuse to accept stlucia as is…never…….every day is murder…no way……our laws must change to meet this scurge…….enough…i did not leave iraq to come home and i can not walk the streets…….put them away for life …..and for now i will protect myself from trigger happy criminals and cops………HELP!
It is guite ashame that drugs and crime has taking over St;Lucia: Mostly all the crime are being done by the youngters: When a young man of 23 years uses a gun to rob an old woman. This is a big shame I do believe the Goverment of St; lucia has fail our youth;There is no work for them to do, is jailing them the answer Icannot say. But I think putting them a place where they can learn a trade, help them find a job. I was in ST. LUCIA when a13 years killed a21 years old and a member of the Goverment said on T.V we do not know what to with her. Now that was a big joke. FIND A WAY TO HELP OUR YOUTH THEY ARE OUR FUTURE.