Alcohol sale to, consumption by minors raised
SEVENTEEN-YEAR-OLD Steven Julian, who pleaded guilty to manslaughter after killing his friend, Keron Caldeira, was sentenced to seven years imprisonment yesterday, by Justice Dawn Gregory – Barnes, at the Berbice Assizes.
He stood motionless in the dock as the sentence was imposed in the presence of his mother, Vanessa Julian. Her son was 15 years old, on November 2, 2008, when he killed Caldeira, following an argument over a pair of boots, at Line Path, Corentyne.
State Prosecutor Dionne Mc Cammon said the convicted teen, Imran Baksh and the victim were on the way home, having attended a birthday party, when Julian and Caldeira started to argue, before scuffling with each other, because the former was wearing boots belonging to the latter.
She said Baksh parted the two fighters and they continued on their journey but, nearer to their homes in separate buildings in the same yard, the duo again engaged in a physical battle and Baksh intervened once more.
Julian entered the yard and Baksh and Caldeira remained outside but, minutes later, the prisoner, armed with two glass bottles, returned to confront the other youth with whom he argued earlier and was cuffed.
Baksh after rebuking the two escorted them into the yard and departed for his home. However, when he was about three house lots away, he heard a scream and, on returning to where he had left his friends, he saw Caldeira with an injury to his neck.
The following day, in the presence of his stepfather, Julian gave a written statement, confessing to the crime.
Senior Probation and Welfare Officer, Mr. Mitford Ward, who compiled a report on the convict’s background, reported that he is the second of five children, of a common law union between his parents, Vanessa Julian and George Moore.
The prisoner was born in Suriname, on March 8, 1993 but his mother and father separated in that country when he was approximately a year old. After experiencing severe hardship, his mother returned to Guyana, where, a year later she established a common law relationship with Leonard Welcome.
Ward said, violence was not inflicted on him or his siblings as a form of discipline but the offender consider his mother and stepfather to be strict, desiring the best for the siblings. Whipping, was a last resort and used occasionally.

Contraband vendors
The compilation said, after dropping out of Corriverton High School Annex in Grade Seven, Julian helped his mother sell plantain chips, prior to working as a labourer with contraband vendors, earning approximately $6,000 per week.
Ward said his mother has described Julian as being helpful and supportive and other relatives and friends referred to him as being jovial, with a personality easy to get along with while persons in his community agree he is fun loving and not prone to violence.
The Court was informed that Julian has displayed significant remorse over his crime and laments the fact that he took the life of a friend, with whom he shared his clothing and food on a regular basis.
Caldeira, who was 18 at the time of his death, had been living alone in another house in the same yard rented by his parents who were abroad.
Ward concluded that Julian was forced into adult responsibility too early, having to leave school to support his family, having been robbed of the opportunity to acquire an education which may have enabled him to make wiser choices in difficult circumstances.
Attorney-at-law Mr. Charrandas Persaud, in a plea of mitigation, asked the Court to be lenient with the convict, who did not waste the court’s time.
The lawyer said Julian, at 15 then, was a minor, was under the influence of alcohol, and the victim was 18.
Persaud wondered who allowed the teenager to consume alcohol and questioned what the society is doing to stop the sale of alcoholic beverages to minors.
Addressing Julian, the judge told him: ”I have considered the probation report, the plea in mitigation, your age, period of confinement, your prayer for forgiveness, along with your remorse and promise to turn your life around.
“I do not think, at age 15, you did not understand that drinking alcohol was dangerous. Your drinking led to the death of a friend after a simple argument over the wearing of a pair of boots.
“I now sentence you to seven years imprisonment,” Justice Gregory-Barnes pronounced.