Career crook Andre Shamar Freeman, already serving a prison sentence at Her Majesty’s Prison Dodds set to expire in March 2025, has asked for a “lenient sentence” so he can compensate the victims of two burglaries.
But Crown Counsel Kevin Forde told Justice Laurie-Ann Smith-Bovell the well-known burglar should get no less than 19 years in prison for his crimes.
Freeman, also known as Doc or King Kong, had previously pleaded guilty to the July 28, 2019 offence of trespassing on Sabeeha Kazi-Kellman’s home and stealing a laptop, two pairs of sunglasses, four pairs of earrings, five rings, a bracelet, a $50 cash for a total value of $14,380.
He also admitted to stealing a watch worth $30,000, two bottles of cologne, $400 cash and a pack of boxers between September 5 and 6, 2018.
In his sentencing submissions during a virtual sitting of Justice Smith-Bovell’s No.3 Supreme Court, Freeman asked to compensate his victims.
He said: “I am requesting a lenient sentence in the form of compensation if the court accepts my request, ma’am, I would like to have a chance to compensate the complainants.”
But prosecutor Forde countered that jail time was merited under the circumstances.
The Crown Counsel pointed to the aggravating features saying that Freeman broke into two houses and stole items through a “deliberate and premeditated act” as he “planned” on how he was going to execute the offences.
“He used instruments to break into people’s homes,” the prosecutor told the court. “The aggregate of items stolen is over $45,000. He did benefit from them having sold them and received money as well as the presence of such offences in society.”
In Freeman’s favour, the Crown noted that some items were recovered from both burglaries and that he had pleaded guilty.
Forde submitted that a starting sentence in Freeman’s case should be at the heavier end of the scale to deter the career criminal.
“The Crown submits that a period of 19 years be imposed,” said Forde who added that the aggravating features outweighed the mitigating features and as such the suggested sentence should be increased by one year, leaving Freeman with 20 years in prison.
Freeman had over 40 convictions, most of them for burglary, showing he has a propensity to commit such crimes, the prosecutor said. His first conviction, for issuing threats, was recorded in 2004.
From the 20-year suggested sentence, the crown counsel said Freeman should be credited with a one-third discount for his guilty plea. The time spent on remand awaiting trial is to be disclosed to the court by a prison officer.
Addressing Justice Smith-Bovell, Freeman said: “With all due respect ma’am my future is ahead of me, ma’am, and I intend to do well and positively I have no bad intentions within me. I have burnt up and waste several years of my life and ma’am, I intend to do good and be a good individual and example for others in society as a newly reformed person, ma’am.”
He is to return before the High Court in the New Year on January 28 for sentencing.
