–for causing Hughes matriarch’s death

TWENTY-eight-year-old Juliano Seunarine of Tain, Corentyne, Berbice was on Monday sentenced to four years in prison after he was found guilty of causing the death of Mrs Christobel Hughes due to his dangerous driving.

Seunarine was convicted by Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan after she found him guilty at the end of a seven-month-long trial.

On his first appearance, on August 18 last year, Seunarine had pleaded not guilty to the charge, which alleged that on August 15, 2015 at Pike and Lamaha Streets, Kitty, in Georgetown, he drove motor vehicle PPP 4641 in a manner dangerous to the public, causing the death of Mrs. Hughes, the mother of prominent attorney Nigel Hughes.

He was also charged with driving under the influence of alcohol, but had pleaded guilty to that charge and was fined $7,500.

The case against Seunarine was prosecuted by Inspector Neville Jeffers, while attorney Glenn Hanoman represented him. Several police and civilian witnesses testified.

In making her ruling, the magistrate told the court that she was of the belief that, at time of the accident, the defendant was under the influence of alcohol; and she said that a life was lost due to his careless driving while failing to exercise the 5Cs (consideration, care, caution, common sense and courtesy).

She then found him guilty as charged, and handed down the sentence, noting that she took into consideration his age and his being the sole provider for his family.

According to reports, on August 15, 2015, at about 23:15 hours, the defendant drove motor vehicle PPP 4641 on Pike Street and, as he approached Lamaha Street, failed to stop, thereby colliding with motor vehicle PMM 6763.

As a result, the passenger of PMM 6763, this being Mrs. Hughes, received injuries to her body.
According to information received, a test conducted on Seunarine by police officers revealed that his blood-alcohol level was 161 micrograms when the legal limit is 35.

According to eyewitnesses, such was the impact of the collision that it resulted in the Hugheses’ car slamming into the nearby Natoo’s Bar, causing extensive damage to both vehicle and building.

From all indications, Mrs. Hughes bore the brunt of the impact, since the pick-up hit the car on the passenger side, directly where she was sitting.