Describing it as “one of the saddest cases” she has ever encountered, Madam Justice Laurie-Anne Smith-Bovell gave Trae Rico Leacock a starting sentence of 13 years for killing his brother with a spear gun almost five years ago.
After discounts for mitigating factors, an early guilty plea, and time already spent on remand, Leacock—of Sutherland Hill No. 1, St Lucy—has two years and 220 more days to serve.
Leacock had previously pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to unlawfully killing his brother, Stephon Leacock, on October 22, 2021.
That day, the two brothers—who people said were always together—had gone spear fishing for sea cat with a group in the Maycock’s area, St Lucy. After rough seas forced them ashore, an argument broke out over the ownership of the sea cat. Although family and friends separated the pair, the dispute flared again, and Trae struck Stephon in the face with the pointed side of a spear gun, fatally wounding him.
Witnesses rushed to the nearby Harrison Point facility for help, but when a nurse arrived, Stephon had no pulse. A post-mortem revealed he died of traumatic brain injury.
Trae told police he had intended to strike his brother with the bottom of the spear gun, not the pointed end.
During the sentencing hearing, Justice Smith-Bovell noted Leacock’s intellectual, social and emotional challenges, describing him as a slow learner with limited reading and writing skills. His psychological report also indicated chronic anger, an inability to think critically, and significantly below-average intelligence.
“As sad as the facts of this case may be, and as much as the now convicted man did not intend the consequences of his actions, his sentence must be of a custodial nature. A life was lost over a sea cat,” Justice Smith-Bovell stated.
She found aggravating the use of an offensive weapon and the element of revenge in the attack, while citing the spontaneous nature of the offence as a mitigating factor.
Taking into account his remorse, youth at the time, and significant intellectual challenges, the judge reduced the starting sentence by two years. She also credited him for his 1 362 days on remand and gave him a one-third discount.
Justice Smith-Bovell also ordered that while at Dodds Prison, he undergo psychotherapy, anger management, and drug counselling, and enrol in vocational, literacy and numeracy programmes.
“It is clear from your psychological report that you require an intense programme to assist in rehabilitating you and addressing your educational needs to prepare you for your re-integration into society,” Justice Smith-Bovell asserted.
The case was prosecuted by Acting Director of Public Prosecutions Alliston Seale SC and State Counsel Paul Prescod. Defence attorney Safiya Moore represented the convicted man.
The post Man gets two more years in prison for killing brother appeared first on Barbados Today.
