A 24-year-old man from Claxton Bay who pleaded guilty to murdering his neighbour has been sentenced to 14 years in prison. Justice Carla Brown-Antoine, in the Port-of-Spain Sixth Criminal Court, yesterday, handed down the sentence against Leston Paul Henry when he appeared before her—almost ten years after he was charged with the crime.
Brown-Antoine said she was initially minded to sentence Henry to 21 years in prison. However, she said, she had to give him a one-third discount because of his guilty plea before the start of his trial in December last year. Henry, who was 14 years old when he and two of his friends allegedly robbed and murdered Ashford Luckhee in 2005, will be eligible for release in three and a half years as the time he served in remand awaiting trial will be deducted from his sentence.
On February 7, 2005, Henry and two other men entered Luckhee’s home at Tambu Road, Claxton Bay. They attacked Luckhee and ransacked his house before forcing him into his car and driving away in it. The victim’s body was found with stab and chop wounds days later in Chaguanas. Henry reportedly attempted to free Luckhee before his accomplices found out and threatened him.
In passing sentence yesterday, Brown-Antoine said she did not feel that he had gathered sufficient skills in prison which would prevent him from re-entering a life of crime upon his release. “While the court notes the steps that you took to rehabilitate yourself it is not satisfied that you are ready to be reintegrated into society as your chances of recidivism are high,” Brown-Antoine said.
She encouraged Henry to continue to “mature and grow” while serving the remainder of his sentence. Luckhee’s sister Saleen Gajadhar was in court for yesterday’s hearing. She wept silently as the sentence was passed. Gajadhar was also present earlier this month when Henry delivered an apology to the victim’s family. Two other men, with whom he was jointly charged, have maintained their innocence and are yet to go on trial.
Henry was represented by Selwyn Mohammed while Shabana Shah prosecuted.