Trending in Jamaica News: Justice Bertram Morrison sentenced a child killer to life imprisonment.
Justice Bertram Morrison sentenced a St Catherine bus conductor to life imprisonment after he pleaded guilty to murdering a seven-year-old girl.
Vivian Vernon of Portmore Villa, St Catherine, will spend the rest of his days in prison for the murder of Kadeisha Cousins, a student of Waterford Primary.
In handing down the sentence, Justice Morrison contended that the brutal crime was pre-meditated, heinous, and barbaric. And the punishment must reflect the seriousness of the crime.
He told the accused, who stood rigid in the dock that Justice must be served for the victim, who was harmless and helpless.
The judge said those likely to commit similar heinous acts should be forewarned. The Justice noted Jamaica is suffering from criminality, and the public is hurting.
He reiterated that even though the Criminal Justice Administration Act allows for a lighter sentence when an accused pleads guilty, he did not think the accused is ellegible for a lighter sentence because he has a previous conviction for violence. Plus, there is premeditation and aggravation. And the public would not be happy if the accused benefited from a lighter sentence.
According to the police, on November 5, 2014, the accused set the child’s mother’s house ablaze, then killed the seven-year-old and dumped her body in the Rio Cobre river.