ALMOST six years after the body of a British teen was found in a shallow grave at Kildonan Village, Corentyne, Berbice, murder accused Staymon George called “Sherwin,” on Monday, confessed to the crime.

George was arraigned at the Berbice High Court before Justice Sandil Kissoon for the capital offence of murder and opted to plead guilty.

He admitted that he murdered Dominic Bernard on October 14, 2015, at Kildonan Village.

Justice Kissoon deferred sentencing until October 19, when a probation report, in favour of George, will be presented in court.

The state is being represented by special prosecutor, attorney-at-law Latchmie Rahamat, while attorney-at-law, Ravindra Mohabir, is on record for the accused.

Initially, George was charged jointly with Aaron Hing, Bernard’s god brother.  The murder indictment against Hing is expected to be presented on October 11.

Meanwhile, George’s ‘childmother’, Krystol Thomas, her mother Sinfine Henry, also known as “Coreen”, and his friend, Jahmil Sinclair, are currently out on $300,000 bail after each was charged as accessory in relation to Bernard’s murder.  They are expected to stand trial soon.

The teenager reportedly arrived in Guyana on the evening of October 14, 2015.  George, who is said to be a close friend of Hing, was the driver who transported Hing to the airport to collect Bernard. The teen was scheduled to fly back to England on November 5, 2015.

After collecting the teen from the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, they stopped at a location on Sheriff Street where they ate and drank a few beers. Bernard was never seen again. His parents came to Guyana after he failed to arrive in England.

On January 8, 2016, the badly decomposed body of the teen was found in a shallow grave in the backlands of Nurney Village. A DNA sample taken from the body was tested against Dominic’s father, Andrew Bernard, and they matched.

The police later issued an arrest warrant for Hing and George after they disappeared when investigators attempted to contact them.

Hing was arrested while hiding out at a city hotel while George was nabbed at a house in Tucville, Georgetown. It is alleged that those charged with accessory hid Bernard’s personal belongings, including his camera.

George had told police that Hing took Bernard to Kildonan Village, where a hole had already been dug. While there, Hing reportedly struck Bernard with a piece of wood which caused him to fall to the ground. While on the ground, Hing allegedly armed himself with a hammer and continued his assault on the teen.

George told the police that he helped Hing bury Bernard’s body in the hole. According to George, Hing killed Bernard for “payback” because he (Hing) was arrested in England due to the teen “snitching.”