Sherwin Fahie, July 24, 2012

Photo Credit: VI Standpoint

Sherwin Fahie, July 24, 2012

Photo Credit: VI Standpoint

High Court Judge, Justice Albert Redhead sentenced Sherwin Fahie to 25 years in prison for wounding Kelbert George in front of his apartment on Virgin Gorda in 2010.

Fahie was found guilty of wounding with intent on July 20 and was sentenced today, July 24.

Following a re-trial and hours of deliberation, a nine-member jury found Fahie guilty of wounding with intent, but found Rasheda Hodge not guilty. Fahie and Hodge were accused of being involved in the gun-butting and wounding of George.

Fahie was found guilty on a 7-2 verdict, while jurors were divided 8-1 in their not guilty verdict of Hodge.

In handing down his sentence, Justice Redhead said he believes that Fahie was recruited from Tortola to go to Virgin Gorda to commit the crime.

He noted that his girlfriend, Hodge, was lucky she got off.

The Judge noted that in his forty years in the judicial system, 27 of which he served on the bench, he has never seen a case where someone was recruited to do violence on another person and noted that it was a case of the wild west.

Justice Redhead said Fahie has propensity to do violence.

Fahie told the court this morning before his sentencing, that he is sorry for what took place and one might feel that he has a violent past, but he is trying his best to make a change.

He said even though he was found guilty, the facts stated are not who he is.

According to Fahie, despite what judgment the court may hand down, he will try his best to be a positive person and he stated that he has already started.

Further, Fahie said he hopes that in the future he can be a role model for young men.

However, the Judge interjected and stated that Fahie has not learned his lesson since he was sentenced before to life and following a court of appeal ruling, he got 15 years in prison.

In the middle of the first trial in March, High Court Judge, Justice Rita Joseph-Olivetti ordered a re-trial following evidence tendered by the Prosecution. The evidence came up during the testimony of the Investigating Officer, Sergeant Nicholas Tranquil.

The defendants' lawyer, Marie-Lou Creque made an application for the case to be retried based on the evidence given. The application was upheld by the Judge and the jurors were discharged.

It was the crown's case that Rasheda Hodge was allegedly the driver of the vehicle that transported Fahie and another male to the home of the young man who they reportedly assaulted on the morning of June 26, 2010.

The Crown stated that Kelbert George exited his vehicle from across his home when Fahie and Mitchum Hodge pounced on him and dealt him blows about his body. The men allegedly gun-butted George, but stopped when the complainant pretended to be unconscious.

The attack stemmed from retaliation over the outcome of a previous court case involving George's friend, who was the defendant, while Mitchum Hodge was the complainant in the matter.

Mitchum Hodge, who pleaded guilty to wounding during the last criminal assizes, was sentenced on July 11 to two years in prison, suspended for eighteen months. The sentence means that if Hodge commits another criminal offence within 18 months, the two year sentence will be activated by the court.