Another 7 years for second killer

Jamar Darnelle Mottley was sentenced last Friday for the 2020 killing of 62-year-old Basil Springer.

Justice Elwood Watts’ starting point for the offence was 22 years in prison, before he deducted time off for mitigating factors, Mottley’s guilty plea and the 2 388 days already spent on remand.

When the murder trial of Mottley, 38, of Lower Dayrell’s Road, Christ Church, took place earlier this year, he pleaded not guilty to murdering Springer between March 5 and 11, 2020. However, a couple days later Mottley was rearraigned and changed his plea to guilty to manslaughter. No evidence had been taken in the matter, since legal arguments were heard over the first two days.

Previously, well-digger Kyle Chad Rasheem Archer of Bayview Avenue, Bayville, St Michael, confessed in the same court to stabbing Springer in the neck, after a failed robbery attempt.

Principal State Counsel Olivia Davis and State Counsel Dr Zoe King prosecuted the current matter, while defence attorneys Kyle Walkes and Kristin Vanderpool acted on Mottley’s behalf. A jury of three men and nine women was empanelled to hear the trial before the change of plea.

Mottley and Archer hatched a plan to rob the postman by having Archer’s girlfriend call Springer to come to his house and once there the two men would rob him. Archer’s girlfriend’ best friend was also at the house.

The initial part went according to plan and Springer showed up.

While he was at the house, Archer emerged from a room, hit him, ordered him to sit on a bed, restrained him with cable ties and questioned him about his bank account, the funds available and the access code. Springer was then forced to call his brother and tell him that a woman was coming to collect his bank cards and some money.

Archer then drove the women to Springer’s residence, in Springer’s car. One woman went to the house, but returned a few minutes later saying that Springer’s brother was asking questions and his sister wanted to know why Springer could not collect the items himself.

They left, Archer dropped off the women, returned to his house and told Mottley that the plan had failed.

However, because they had Springer’s keys the men returned at a point to his home and took his bank cards.

In Archer’s statement, he explained how he drove Springer to a dark area in Culloden Road, St Michael, stabbed him thrice in the neck and his accomplice Mottley then threw Springer’s body into a well.

He, Archer, later used the deceased’s bank cards to acquire money, which he spent on personal and household expenses.

He also gave Springer’s car to a man he knew and instructed the man to hold on to the vehicle. That man parked it in Lennox Avenue and by the time he passed back a few days later, the car was gone. It was later found without number plates, which Archer said Mottley removed.

Mottley in his oral statements said that after Archer tied Springer’s hands with cable ties, they both led him outside to his car, which Archer drove close to a well at Culloden Road. Archer took Springer out of his own vehicle, ordered him to stay low and once they got close enough to a well, Archer stabbed Springer and they both dropped his body inside the well. Mottley went home afterwards.

Consultant pathologist Dr Stephen Jones conducted the post-mortem and determined that Springer died from ligature strangulation. (SD)