A first-time offender who led police on a high-speed chase, crashed, and threatened a minor to take the blame for a firearm has been sentenced to additional prison time, with the court stressing the need for deterrence and public safety.
In sentencing Zico Williams, Justice Laurie-Ann Smith-Bovell said: “This clearly is not one of those situations where a fine is appropriate. Innocent people were injured because of the accident. The now convicted man sought to threaten a young child. A custodial sentence is clearly warranted to drive home the seriousness of the offence, to deter others from committing similar offence, to protect society and maintain the public’s confidence in the justice system.”
She gave him starting sentences of nine years for having a .38 special calibre Detective Special revolver and seven years for having 14 rounds of ammunition on October 16, 2022.
Following deductions, including the 1 377 days he has already spent on remand, he was left with four years and 83 days for the gun and two years and 83 days for the ammunition. The sentences are to run concurrently.
Williams, who is listed as having no fixed address, pleaded not guilty to the offences and was convicted by a nine-member jury in the No. 4 Supreme Court after a month-long trial.
During his trial, the No. 4 Supreme Court heard that he and several other men went to a picnic on the East Coast. One of them testified to seeing Williams head to a bushy area, retrieve a firearm, and put it into his crotch area.
The men then went to the picnic with Williams, who was driving. On the way home from the picnic, Williams passed police officers who were carrying out road checks, telling the other occupants of the car that they all were going to be good.
He then passed the firearm to one man, who passed it to another, who then tried to pass it off to the others, but they refused to take the gun. Williams took it back and placed it on his lap. Police subsequently pursued the vehicle, but he refused to stop, eventually colliding with another vehicle. The car he was driving overturned, and the now convicted man and the occupants fled the vehicle. The police were able to apprehend him and two others, while the other two escaped.
When the vehicle was searched by police officers, a black firearm was observed on the ceiling of the car, which was overturned on its top. An extended magazine with ammunition was also discovered near the vehicle.
During the trial, one of the occupants in the car testified that Williams had threatened him and told him to take the rap for the gun, as he had been a minor at the time of the incident, and “was going to come home fast.”
Justice Smith-Bovell found the gun being loaded in a public place, the quantity of ammunition of different calibres found suggesting more than one firearm, the attempt to escape from police and his engagement in a high-speed chase placing other persons at risk, as officers ended their pursuit due to the manner in which he was driving; that other persons suffered damage as a result of the accident; and that the convicted man threatened one of the other occupants to take responsibility for the firearm in order to prevent apprehension, all aggravating.
In his favour was his being deemed at a low risk of reoffending, a positive pre-sentence report, and a lack of a criminal record. One year was deducted from each starting sentence.
Reiterating that there was no right for persons in Barbados to bear arms, Justice Smith-Bovell said: “The indiscriminate possession and use of firearms is wreaking havoc on our society so much so, that it amongst other illegal activities, is being seen as a public health issue and crisis. This behaviour of illegally acquiring firearms for whatever reason must be stamped out.”
Williams was represented by attorney Kellyann Blackman, while Acting Senior State Counsel Paul Prescod prosecuted the case.
(JB)
