Man gets 9 years for killing former Overland woman

THE TWO-BEDROOM HOUSE in which Noel Ricardo Spencer lived was like a time-bomb waiting to explode.

There were two adults – Spencer and his common-law wife Pamela DeSouza (formerly of Overland, St. Vincent – and five children – one of Spencer’s children who DeSouza did not like, and another who had behavioural problems.{{more}}

So on August 17, 2003, said Spencer’s attorney Michael Carrington, the man lost his cool and “struck out” after being under severe stress.

The result, said Carrington, was that “the woman he loved ended up dead”.

However, said Mr Justice LeRoy Inniss, a life had been lost in circumstances where violence was not necessary.

As a result, he sentenced the killer to nine years in jail.

Spencer, a 48-year-old general worker, of Mayers Land, Lower Richmond Gap, St Michael, Barbados, was back in No. 4 Supreme Court for sentencing Tuesday after pleading guilty to unlawfully killing (manslaughter) DeSouza on August 17, 2003. He had denied murdering the woman.

“I just want to say I’m truly sorry for what has happened,” said Spencer.

“I didn’t know at the time what had happened. I want to say I love my family very much, I care for Pam very much. I love my children and I love her children,” he added.

The judge said he had considered the good points raised by Spencer’s attorney, the pre-sentencing report and that Spencer had been a hard-working individual who looked after DeSouza’s children “better than she did”, but was in an abusive relationship.

“Unfortunately, you did not learn to live and let go,” he said. “If I did not have good mitigation from counsel, you might have been sent to prison for 16 years but I take into consideration that you were under some pressure.”

Four of DeSouza’s children Natasha, Natesha, Courtney, and Chevonna now live with grand parents Vetorine and Alban DeSouza at Overland, on the North Windward end of mainland St. Vincent. They were placed there after their mother’s murder.

The children’s plight generated widespread response because of the trauma the children faced in their former homeland. The overwhelming community endeavour resulted in a new home being built for them.