A REMORSEFUL and tearful Angelique Williams, 20, was on Tuesday afternoon sentenced by Justice Navindra Singh to eight years’ imprisonment in the Georgetown High Court following a probation report. However she will serve six years following a two-year deduction for time

served.

She pleaded guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter on April 6, 2017 in the fatal stabbing of her best friend Lloyda Renita Thomas on December 23, 2015 at Versailles, West Bank Demerara.

Thomas, who was at the time pregnant, was stabbed multiple times.

Her body bore 22 incised wounds and a post mortem revealed she died from shock and hemorrhage due to stab wounds.

Williams told the court before sentence was handed down that she was sorry for what had happened since the deceased was more than a friend. She was more like a sister.

She stated that regrets for her actions would not bring back Thomas, as such she apologised to the relatives of Thomas, some of whom were in the courtroom.

Williams asked for a second chance to contribute to society and begged for leniency as she openly cried in a very packed courtroom.

Justice Singh encouraged Williams to complete high school which would enable her to be employed when she was released and make use of educational programmes offered by the prison.

The judge also urged Williams to enrol in anger management classes, while serving her time but noted she had to pay the price for her actions and could not benefit from a suspended sentence.

Justice Singh said he was moved by the probation report and attorney-at-law Mark Waldron’s plea of mitigation which spoke of her traumatic life and took into account she accepted responsibility for her actions and did not go through with a trial.

The judge added that she expressed sincere remorse to the family of the deceased and noted that she was well on her way to rehabilitation.

Probation Report
Social Services and Welfare Officer, Alicia October, in giving an early history and background of Williams told the court that she grew up with her parents and siblings but when her parents passed away she was very young.

She was then cared for by her elder sister, then later her brother, who was killed in a vehicular accident after which she became delinquent, suicidal and party-going, consuming alcohol and smoking marijuana.

October stated that at age 13 Williams dropped out of school and began to self-destruct, noting she witnessed her father abuse her mother and she is also a victim of abuse.

October added that Williams was the ‘party girl’ and was accustomed to having her way and being in the company of wealthy men, so when she was asked to sit in the back seat of a vehicle on the day in question she became angry and a fight ensued between her and Thomas.

In his plea of mitigation Mark Waldron told the court that Williams was about age two when her father died and she was five when her mom passed away. At age 13 she was the victim of abuse by her partner and her brother died when she was 15.

He explained that with the loss of her loved ones she became tramautised and had no guidance, considering the challenges and pain she faced in life.

He asked the court to give her a second chance and asked for a suspended sentence.

In response, State prosecutor Tuanna Hardy told the court that at age 21 Thomas’ life was taken away by the best friend she trusted.

Thomas, in a fit of rage used a broken bottle to stab her friend multiple times to the body during a heated row after the group had left the Aracari Resort where they had been imbibing.