THE Court of Appeal, on Monday, upheld the life sentence of John Blanchard, who had admitted that he hacked his three children to death.
Blanchard, in 2016, was sentenced by Judge Jo-Ann Barlow at the Demerara High Court, after he opted to plead guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter.
He admitted that, on October 11, 2011, at Dr. Charles Sand Road, Soesdyke, East Bank Demerara, he killed the children – six-year-old Joy, four-year-old Daniel and 10-year-old Belika Blanchard.

On October 11, 2011, Blanchard was detained following the chopping to death of the children. Belika and Daniel died almost instantly, while Joy succumbed a day later at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation where she was receiving treatment.
The family resided at the location where the murders occurred, and, according to reports, at the time of the incident, the children’s mother had left for the interior to seek a betterment.

Judge Barlow indicated that Blanchard had to serve 30 years before he could be eligible for parole.
Blanchard had moved to the Appeal Court arguing that the sentence was manifestly excessive and severe in all the circumstances of the case.
The appeal was heard by acting Chancellor, Yonette Cummings-Edwards and Justices of Appeal, Dawn Gregory and Brassington Reynolds. The State was represented by prosecutor, Natasha Bakker while Blanchard was represented by Attorney-at-law, Mark Conway.
The Chancellor rejected arguments made on behalf of the convict and said the court did not find that the trial judge erred in her sentencing. As such, the court dismissed Blanchard’s appeal.