ALMOST four years after Sophia resident, Celwyn Allen, was fatally stabbed while walking in his community on Christmas Day, his killer, Bevon Griffith, was, on Wednesday, sentenced to 18 years.

Griffith, called “Kevin” and “Spoony”, formerly of Pike Street, Kitty,  was last month indicted for murder, but opted to plead guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter which was accepted by Justice Jo-Ann Barlow at the Demerara High Court.

He admitted that on December 25, 2017, at ‘C’ Field, Sophia, he unlawfully killed Allen.The state was represented by Lisa Cave while attorney-at-law, Ravindra Mohabir, is on record for the accused.

During his sentencing hearing on Wednesday, Griffith told the court that on the day in question he was consuming alcohol and when he attacked Allen,  he was intoxicated.  He apologised for his action and begged the court for a second chance to turn his life around.

The judge sentenced Griffith to 18 years and further ordered that the prison deduct one-third of the sentence for his early guilty plea.  The judge ordered the deduction of an additional three years, 11 months for the time he had spent in pre-trial custody.

According to reports, prior to the incident, Allen interfered with one of Griffith’s friends, who reportedly rebuked him.  On the day in question, Allen and his girlfriend were walking in the ‘C’ Field, Sophia community when they were attacked by Griffith.

It is alleged that Griffith pulled out a knife and stabbed Allen several times before running away.  Allen collapsed and was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

Griffith was later arrested and confessed to the crime.