Point Fortin man pleads guilty to murder he committed at 16

A POINT Fortin man has been put on a $5,000 bond to be of good behaviour for two years after a High Court judge sentenced him on Friday for a killing he committed ages 16.

Stephen Williams, also called Lassie and Stephon, has also been ordered to live at a relative’s home in Las Cuevas and is to be supervised by a probation officer.

A monthly report on his progress is to be submitted and he is to be counselled as directed by the National Family Services Department. Williams will return to court on August 18 for an assessment by the trial judge and for a report of his conduct up to that time.

Williams, now 28, was charged with the murder of Kerwin Beddeau on December 19, 2009.

He pleaded guilty and on Friday Justice Gail Gonzales sentenced him.

In her sentencing and after considering the aggravating and mitigating factors of the offence, Gonzales began with a sentence of 21 years. She held there were no aggravating factors of the offender and adjusted her sentence down by two years. Williams received the one-third discount for his guilty plea and the 12 years, two months was further deducted.

Having found he had already served the retributive portion of his sentence, Gonzales said she was satisfied Williams was not a threat to society and was released on the terms set.

It was the State’s case, advanced by prosecutors Stacy Laloo-Chong and Destinee Gray, that another 16-year-old boy, Kesse Bailey, was speaking to the 14-year-old sister of a friend at her home when she mentioned Williams had told her he was spreading rumours about her. Bailey said he did not like “people calling his name in stupidness” and confronted Williams, who was passing at the time.

Williams said it was not and took out a large kitchen knife from the waist of his pants. They continued arguing and Beddeau intervened. Williams then told him, “Kerwin, yuh know how long I want you," and stabbed the 19-year-old on the left side of his face and, when he fell, continued stabbing him.

The girl told police she also saw Beddeau holding Williams back to prevent him from stabbing Bailey, but he was unsuccessful and Williams stabbed him in the back with the knife.

The boys continued fighting and Williams climbed on top of Beddeau, stabbing him all over the body.

After the stabbing, Williams ran off, but he left behind his red rubber slipper. He discarded his black T-shirt in some bushes along the way and went to a villager’s home, where he hid from an angry crowd that had gathered outside.

The owner of the house took away the knife from Williams and called the police. Williams told police when he was arrested, he stabbed Beddeau because “them try to advantage me.”

Inan interview, Williams told the police Bailey started coming towards him and he “back back and pull out a long knife” and when Beddeau intervened, he told the older boy, “Is you I want” and started stabbing him.

At some point, Beddeau gained the upper hand and as they continued struggling, called Bailey to “come and beat him up.”

Williams managed to roll on top of Beddeau and continued stabbing him.

He also said there was a previous occasion when Beddeau beat him up and he had the knife for his protection.

He also told police the girl had threatened to “send her friends” for him because she heard he was spreading rumours about her.

Williams was represented by public defenders Candace Nanton and Axia Edwards.