Kevin Hope who was accused of causing the death of Patrice “Mitch” Welcome by dangerous driving on November 15, 2011 was yesterday sentenced to five years in prison after being found guilty.
The sentence was handed down to a visibly distraught Hope who stood in the prisoners’ dock in a courtroom filled to capacity with relatives and friends who lamented and sighed in frustration after hearing the length of time for which he will be incarcerated.
When asked if he wanted to say anything before being sentenced, Hope, who hung his head in distress, declined.
Meanwhile, after the sentence was read, his attorney Omeyana Hamilton contended in her client’s defence that the case showed the “clearest example of an accident”.
Magistrate Judy Latchman, who presided over the matter at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court, stressed that road safety must be practiced at all times. She said the most important resource was lost, a human life.
The court noted too that the offence is a serious and prevalent one.
On Friday last, Hope was found guilty of the offence after the trial into the matter concluded.
Hope, a Route 41 minibus driver was first arraigned on November 17, 2011 and was granted bail in the sum of $200,000.
The charge against him stated that on November 15, at Aubrey Barker Road, he drove motor minibus BNN 9334 in a manner dangerous to the public thereby causing the death of 40-year-old Patrice “Mitch” Welcome of Lot M11-1058 Critchlow Street, Tucville and of Cane View Avenue, South Ruimveldt, Georgetown.
The defendant had denied the charge and the matter subsequently went to trial.
The prosecution’s facts were that Hope was driving minibus BNN 9334 in an easterly direction behind a motor car on Aubrey Barker Road, which was heading in the same direction when he attempted to overtake the car and collided with motorcycle CG 197 which Welcome was riding.
The motorcycle was proceeding west along the southern side of Aubrey Barker Road. As a result of the collision, Welcome fell. He was taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
