Crockwell gets three-year jail term

A vicious melee landed a 22-year-old man in jail yesterday after his involvement in the assault of an off-duty prison officer two years ago.

Shaki Eugene Crockwell of Happy Valley Road in Pembroke, expressed his sorrow in Supreme Court and he claimed he was young and immature the night he was involved in punching and kicking prison officer Craig Randall Clarke outside of the Club 40 nightclub during the early hours of January 1, 2002.

Crockwell pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm to the man after he told Crockwell's friend, Troy (Yankee) Rawlins, he was sorry about his brother's recent death in prison.

Stephen (Pepe) Dill, died after suffering a severe asthma attack and an inquest revealed that the cause of death was untimely medical attention.

Yesterday, the court heard that Mr. Clarke was pursued by Crockwell and two other men who knocked him to the ground. Crockwell admitted to punching the man in his face and kicking him.

Mr. Clarke received severe retinal oedema and underwent advanced retinal surgery that had to be performed in a hospital outside of Bermuda.

Crown counsel Anthony Blackman asked that “an immediate custodial sentence” be given of no more than four years.

Crockwell, who is the captain of the Boulevard Blazers Premier Division football club, said he has already suffered because of his mistake.

“I'm being punished in ways that the court doesn't see in that my lifetime dreams have been taken away from me in being able to represent my country and that was taken away.”

Defence lawyer Peter Farge said Crockwell's remorse and the fact that he is responsible for his 16-year-old sister and his four-year-old son warranted a lesser sentence.

Boulevard soccer coach John Rebello was called to the stand and claimed Crockwell had grown up since the incident and he had helped him find a job after the attack.

“He continued to persevere, painting roofs... whatever he could to just stay off the street. He's tried to do anything he could to keep himself clean,” he said.

Assistant Justice Archibald Warner said this type of offence is rampant on the Island and needed to be deterred.

“I am not satisfied that your actions were out of immaturity or stupidity. I watched you on that video (Closed Circuit Television) and your actions were quite deliberate, quite uncalled for, callous and vicious.

“I have considered the nature and extent to which you are to blame. You are largely to blame for this and I must deter others from committing the same offence.

“This violent behaviour in the community needs to stop,” he said after sentencing Crockwell to three years imprisonment with time spent in custody taken into consideration.

Yacht limping towards Island

A 60-foot yacht with a broken mast was limping towards the Island yesterday.

A Harbour Radio spokesman said the yacht, Kokomo, was 99 nautical miles north of the Island when they sent off an EPIRB (emergency positioning indicator radio beacon).

The spokesman added that they spoke to the crew, which consisted of three men, two women, via SAT phone.

They were calling for a helicopter, but they decided broke the mast loose and are coming in with their engine.

The yacht was expected to arrive last night in St. George's at about 10 p.m.

Cocker Spaniel found on East Broadway

A doe-eyed, golden Cocker Spaniel is desperately searching for her home this weekend.

Construction workers at the site on East Broadway noticed the older dog wandering the busy street just outside of Hamma Gallaries on Tuesday and called the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA).

Wearing just a red, nylon collar the Spaniel is hoping her family comes to find her before Christmas.

“She seems to be a little older, probably over 10 but she has been recently groomed so we're pretty sure she belongs to someone,” said Jodi Corbett, kennel administrator for the SPCA.

“Our hopes are that someone hasn't just dumped her because she's getting old,” she added.

The owner of the golden girl should call the SPCA at 236-7333.

Boat Parade to begin at 6.30 p.m.

The largest spectator event on the Bermuda calendar takes off tonight at 6.30 p.m. from the Fairmont Hamilton Princess.

The 50 boats taking part in the boat parade will line up and start moving clockwise around Hamilton Harbour.

“Harbour Road, Front Street at the flag poll, Albuoy's Point, and the Princess are the best places to watch from in my opinion,” said organising committee member Steve Thomson.

Fireworks will blast off around 8 p.m. and the judges will be positioned at the hotel.

Boats in the harbour must be anchored after 5.30 p.m. for safety.

The sponsors for the event are Freisenbruch-Meyer, Bacardi, XL Capital, Cable & Wireless, OIL Insurance, and the Ministry of Community Affairs.

Front Street will be closed from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Harbour Road will only have traffic going one way east from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. from the north round-a-bout to Manse Road. Vehicles will be allowed to park on the north side close to the water.