A 32-year-old man was sentenced to 12 months behind bars for causing the road death of 19-year-old sports star Machai Campbell.

Sergio Pacheco was found guilty of killing the teen by dangerous driving on December 30, 2008. Pacheco, who hails from the Azores, had lived on the Island sporadically for close to ten years.

During the trial before Puisne Judge Charles Etta Simmons, the court heard that Pacheco collided with the teen on Cavendish Road in Pembroke. Both men were on motorbikes at the time. The accident occurred after Pacheco moved into the wrong lane to overtake a car.

The teenager had been a respected member of Bermuda’s Under-19 cricket team and also played football for Dandy Town.

Yesterday Pacheco apologised to Mr. Campbell’s family through an interpreter.

“I also have a son and I empathise and sympathise with what they are feeling.

“There is nothing I can do to bring him back. It was an accident. It was nothing that I did on purpose. All I can do is offer my sincere apologies for what has happened.”

Mr. Campbell’s father Wayne was at the sentencing. He said the family was warned from the outset that the court proceedings would likely result in a short jail term.

“It is kind of difficult to justify if you have killed someone what kind of time that they get.

“It’s not about hating him — and I do not hate him — but he has to understand what he took from me. And in a way, with his apology and how he was feeling shows he has to live with it.”

According to Mr. Campbell he most misses watching his son interact with his six other siblings including his twin brother Michiko.

“(Machai) was talking about going back to Bermuda College and he had signed up with the fire department with one of his friends,” he said. “As far as I knew he was supposed to start at the fire service and he was looking forward to representing the Island in cricket on the national level.”

Yesterday the court heard that Pacheco had previous convictions for road offences here.

In 2001 he was convicted of drunk driving and fined $1,000 and in 2003 he was convicted of speeding at 72 kmh and fined $350.

A third charge in 2005 for driving without due care and attention was contested by Pacheco and not offered into evidence yesterday.

Mr. Horseman described Pacheco as a hardworking man with a young child to provide for and support.

He added there was low risk of him ever reoffending.

“He accepts that he was responsible on the basis that he was negligent and had he not done this perhaps the whole thing could have been avoided,” said Mr. Horseman.

“Not a day goes by when Mr. Pacheco does not think about Mr. Campbell and he knows the life that was lost and the life that was full of promise.”

Crown counsel Nicole Smith explained that the purpose of sentencing was to prevent others from committing the same or similar offences. She recommended Pacheco receive 18 months’ imprisonment.

But Mrs. Justice Simmons said the appropriate sentence was 12 months, with time already served to be taken into consideration.

Mr. Horseman said his client had already filed an appeal to overturn the conviction.