Yvette Laurent, the brother of murdered victim Englebert Laurent has expressed “shock and disappointment” at the ten-year sentence handed down by High Court Judge Wynante Adrien-Roberts to Chester Seraphine who brutally murdered her brother in March 2018.
Both men (cousins) were close friends and on the evening of March 10, 2018, had gone to a bar in Good Hope to have a drink together when an argument ensued as to who should pay for the drink. The owner of the bar then asked them to forget the matter and that they should leave the bar. It was while outside, that the deceased took a pen and attempted to prick Seraphine who went for a stick and struck him on the head.
Reports are that he fell “unconscious” and Seraphine stated that “he wanted to ensure that he was dead” and struck him with the stick three more times.
Seraphine pleaded guilty to the charge of murder and was jailed for 10 years 8 months 6 days after going through the sentencing guidelines as laid down by the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court.
“My family and I expected a stiffer sentence and so I am disappointed given the brutal way my brother was murdered, they were so very close and cousins. While she was obligated to follow the sentencing guidelines I feel better could have been done,” Laurent said tearfully.
She continued, “I think the punishment does not send a strong message I thought that the court would have used this case to send a strong message out. I don’t think that he will be forgiven, it touched me, it happened so simply, to this day he hasn’t given a reason why he murdered my brother, they were so close and to this day he has not given a reason why so I don’t think that I can or will even accept an apology from him.”
Interview with Yvette Laurent-https://natureisle.news/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/yvette-laurent.mp3
Before sentencing, the court had ordered a Social Inquiry Report and a psychiatric report and stated that the State did not ask for the “death penalty” however, the circumstances, in this case, he does not warrant “the death penalty.”
“The court must adhere to the laws on sentencing, and has placed the starting point at 25 years, although the defense asked that it be placed at 20 because he was provoked, I disagree,” the Judge stated.
In listing the aggravating factors in the case, the Judge stated that the crime was done in full view of the public and the face of the deceased was disfigured hence the body could not be viewed.
Mitigating
He cooperated fully with the investigators; the deceased was the aggressor because he took at a pen to harm him.
Sentencing
In passing sentencing, the Judge added 2 years to the aggravating factors of the case bringing up to 27 years. She then for the mitigating factors minus 4 years bringing the sentence down to 23 years. He also had convictions and added one year to his sentence bringing it up to 24 years. 18 months was deducted from that for his “remorse” bringing it down to 22 years 6 months.
The law states that because of his “guilty plea” 1/3 must be deducted from his sentence bringing it down to 15 years. He must also get a full deduction for time served and he was on remand from March 12, 2018, to the day of his sentencing bringing it to 1,577 days or 4 years, 3 months, and 24 days.
The total balance of his sentence is 10 years, 8 months 6 days that must be served as the sentence of the court.