Judge: Society under siege

The judge told Samuel Hutchinson that the court needs to punish him for his wrongdoings and that society needs to be protected from him. Narine then sentenced 29-year-old Hutchinson of Pinto Road, Arima, to a total of 24 years on two indictments. However, because the sentences are to run concurrently, Hutchinson will serve only 12 years.

Hutchinson was found guilty of entering the home of his neighbour — Lenora Baksh — and beating and robbing her and her two sons of money, jewelry and electronic equipment valued at $10,000 at 1.30 am on March 5, 1997. Hutchinson had two accomplices.

In passing sentence, Narine, sitting in the Port-of-Spain Assizes, also told Hutchinson that there was one place where people hope to be safe, and that was their homes, but Hutchinson and his accomplices disregarded this, went into the Bakshs’ house and terrorised them. The judge noted that Lenora Baksh and her sons were tramatised by the incident and may never forget it.

After deliberating for about 80 minutes, a jury of four women and five men found Hutchinson guilty of burglary and guilty of robbery with aggravation. He was sentenced to a term of 12 years hard labour on each count. The State’s case was presented by senior prosecutor Jeron Joseph, while Clyde Constantine and Owen Hinds Jr represented Hutchinson.

During the robbery, Hutchinson had gone to the refrigerator and pulled up his mask in order to drink some juice. It was at this point that Baksh’s son David recognised Hutchinson, his neighbour.

Hutchinson denied robbing the Bakshs. He said he was staying at his aunt’s house in Sangre Grande at the time of the incident.