KILLED NEAR CHILD

A man who stabbed a teenaged mother 15 times in the presence of her two-year-old daughter, 12 years ago, was convicted of the crime on Wednesday and says he is ready for any sentence.

Nicholas Rampersad, 26, was found guilty of murder in a judge alone trial in the San Fernando High Court before Justice Gillian Lucky who will sentence him on Monday in the Hall of Justice, Port of Spain.

During the trial, gruesome details emerged of the crime which Rampersad committed when he was 14. His victim, Crystal Navisha Bedasie was 17-years-old when she was stabbed repeatedly at the home of Sookrani Rampersad, Nicholas' mother. She ran out of the house and collapsed on the road.

"The prison is in a mess. I have seen unexplainable things. Sometimes I don’t know if I would make it out (alive). I am very grateful for your decision, whatever it may be," Rampersad told Lucky on Wednesday when the matter came up for hearing.

On December 23, the judge found him guilty of the 2008 murder of Bedasie who was a single parent. Police arrested Rampersad on July 2, 2008. He celebrated his 15th birthday three days later, in police custody.

Rampersad told the judge of his desire to complete studies in Maths, English, Social Studies, Principles of Accounts and Principles of Business. He said he is interested in tailoring. Describing himself as a fast learner, Rampersad said he loves art and enjoys reading. But there is a limited number of books in the prison library, he said.

Before he addressed her, Justice Lucky heard testimonies from Rampersad's mother Sookrani Rampersad, 51, brother Kevin Khan, 37, and aunt Marilyn James, 62.

Rampersad expanded on a story shared by James about him risking his life to save another child, identified only as Tiba, from drowning in a river in Marabella. Rampersad recalled that he too almost drowned. He spent a week "in and out of consciousness" in the San Fernando General Hospital.

Senior state attorney Trevor Jones led evidence that on the night of June 27, 2008, Rampersad in a fit of rage, stabbed Bedasie. An autopsy showed she received 15 stab wounds.

The aggravating factors in the crime included the prevalence of such offences, the number of times the victim was stabbed, the use of a weapon and what Jones described as an unprovoked attack. Other factors included the fact that Bedasie's child was nearby when she was stabbed and that Rampersad had a conviction just ten months prior to the murder.

He was convicted for stabbing and wounding his cousin. The court heard that at the time he committed the murder, Rampersad was on probation for the charge of wounding his cousin. Jones said that the only mitigating fact was Nicholas’ age.

The attorney suggested that a starting point of 25 years would be an appropriate sentence for the accused, with a deduction of three years owing to the mitigating factor. Rampersad of Montique Street in Marabella elected to be tried by a judge alone instead of a judge and jury after he spent 12 years in prison awaiting trial.

During the trial, the State contended that before Bedasie lost consciousness, she gave a dying declaration. Attorneys Rekha Ramjit instructed by Aleyya Gafoor-Ali represented Rampersad.

In her plea in mitigation, Ramjit said Nicholas spent his formative years behind bars. Based on a bio-social report, he attempted to educate himself. The report, Ramjit added, does not speak of any contravention of prison rules. Generally, it speaks of Rampersad as being an exemplary and disciplined prisoner.

In these circumstances, Ramjit suggested a starting point of 15 to 18 years sentence before deductions. Rampersad’s mother wept as she described him as being a "very, very nice child." She added, "I have lots of plans for Nicholas. I want him to go back to school, to start over his life. I want what is best for him."

Rampersad's aunt said she never missed attending his court hearings. James said Rampersad was a playful and active child who enjoyed sewing, climbing trees and playing by the river. On his release from prison, James promised to give Rampersad her sewing shop in Arima to run.