Parris set to contest sentence next month

Jailed attorney Cheraine Parris’ appeal is set to be heard in July, the Court of Appeal ordered Thursday.

Justice Randall Worrell last year sentenced Parris, of Lowlands, Christ Church, to four years in jail after she admitted stealing $302,000 belonging to Morrison – the remainder of a larger sum – in 2010. She also pleaded guilty to money laundering by conducting a series of transactions in moving the cash as proceeds of crime.

The money had been earmarked for the purchase of Morrison’s condominium. The complainant had deposited in Parris’ account a total of $462,000. Of that amount, $160,000 had been repaid on two separate occasions – $150,000 in the first instance and then $10,000.

The appeals court heard from Michael Lashley QC who represents Parris that certain issues were still to be addressed.

Gordon, who appears in association with Lashley, said one issue “narrowed around sentencing, whether excessive, whether the judge should’ve done all that was required under the rules for sentencing”.

Ask a result, he said he was unable to address the court properly until he had seen the record of the sentencing remarks in order to coordinate with Lashley.

Originally, Parris filed under the normal grounds that the sentence was unreasonable. But Gordon said that was “not a formulation” he was accustomed with.

“It is either excessive or wrong in principle,” he told the court.

The lawyer said he was not appealing the conviction itself but the “sentencing… the facts in terms of the guilty plea and the amount in terms of the tariff”.

Justice of Appeal Rejendra Narine reminded the lawyers of the court’s last request in relation to filing of submissions.

He informed them that he was putting them on “alert that however the discussions turn out we intend to hear this matter and we would require you to carry out the terms of the order made for the filing of submissions” as the court intends to “dispose of the matter one way or the other”.

Adjusted dates for submissions were made and the matter set for hearing on July 14.
Justice of Appeal Francis Belle and Jefferson Cumberbatch also presided. Deputy Director of Prosecutions represents the Crown.