Businessman to know fate on Friday

Convicted gunman Mervyn Walter Hunte admitted on Monday that he committed a “stupid act”.

The 52-year-old Six Roads, St Philip man made the statement as he addressed Justice Randall Worrell this morning during a virtual sitting of the No. 2 Supreme Court.

Hunte had previously pleaded guilty to possessing a .45 revolver and 16 rounds of ammunition on November 9, 2018.

“I am so sorry for my stupid act. From that time until now my business has been growing. I have hired more people….I have a family to keep alive . . . and I am investing all the time, mostly trying to keep my staff alive. I am trying, hired more people and I am asking that you give me the opportunity to continue to let the business grow.

“I am very sorry for the foolishness that I have put myself in and I am asking for your leniency and forgiveness sir,” Hunte pleaded just before his attorney Angella Mitchell-Gittens and the prosecutor, Crown Counsel Romario Straker put forward submissions on sentencing and mitigation.

Both counsel agreed that a fine would meet the justice of the case given that Hunte was a first-time offender and had no other pending matters.

The defense counsel said her client, a businessman, was not the average person who comes before the court.

“Clearly this is a misstep because he has no previous convictions and never before charged before this,” Mitchell-Gittens said, adding that the firearm was unused.

“Mr Hunte has a business . . . it seemed to have been doing well and he had been receiving some threats and he foolishly acquired a firearm and had it. He should have applied to the Commissioner of Police, but it appears he had it there for his protection,” the lawyer added.

There are several mitigating factors, she said, including that he wanted to plead guilty to the charge from the onset, he expressed remorse, cooperated with the police and the weapon was not found in a public place.

She said that Hunte was “willing and able” to pay a fine if the court was so minded to impose one as she had already informed him that fines for such matters were at the lower end $25 000 and highest $35 000.

In his submission, the prosecutor put forward more of the same mitigating and aggravating factors and suggested a starting point of eight years in prison. He said after all the deductions are made, taking into consideration all the factors, Hunte would be left with a period of three and a half years in prison.

However he said a fine would meet the justice in Hunte’s case.

He suggested a fine of $20 000 for possession of the firearm and $15 000 for the ammunition to be paid in three to six months or Hunte should be made to face the alternative of three and a half years in prison.

Hunte returns before Justice Worrell on Friday when the time he spent on remand at Dodds is expected to be officially put on record before he is sentenced.

On the last sitting when asked whether he had spent any time on remand Hunte stated: “ Five weeks . . . in hell”.