DR George Proctor, an 89-year-old former University of the West Indies lecturer, was yesterday convicted of conspiracy to kill his wife of 30 years and three other people almost four years ago.

Proctor’s driver, Glenmore Fellington, 46, who was also held on conspiracy charges, was also convicted.

Both men, who were found guilty in the Home Circuit Court, will return to court next Tuesday when they will be sentenced. The two, however, had their bails revoked and will remain in custody until next week’s sentencing.

Jurors deliberated for four hours before returning the guilty verdict on all four counts of conspiracy to murder charges.

The men had been on trial for the past two weeks, stemming from allegations that they had hired a man to commit the murders. The plot was hatched over diverse dates between February 1, 2006 and April 20, 2006 and the hits were supposed to be done for $100,000.

The ‘hitman’, who reported the matter to the police, testified that Proctor wanted his wife dead because she was unfaithful to him, among other things. According to the witness, Proctor told him that divorce was not an option.

The witness said Proctor later told him to kill the other three women who were at the family home the time the killing of his wife was to occur.

Yesterday, Proctor, an internationally renowned botanist, took the verdict in stride. However, the same could not be said for his co-conspirator — a father of seven children with a criminal record.

On hearing the verdict, Fellington’s legs wobbled. His reaction was such that Proctor had to tap him as if beckoning him to control himself. Fellington later rocked back and forth when required to stand to hear the sentence date. At one point he buried his face in his hands after throwing back his head, peering into the ceiling and clutching his chest.

Fellington was led out of court in cuffs, tears welling in his eyes. But the feeble Proctor was allowed to walk freely, as he gets around with the aid of a cane.

Torn by the ordeal, Proctor’s adult daughter wept at the verdict and had to be comforted by her mother.

Both accused men had denied knowledge of a plot to murder but jurors did not buy their defence.

“What everyone agreed on was that some form of collusion [to commit murder] took place. The prosecution, based on the evidence, had proved that some agreement was reached by the parties,” the jury foremen told the Observer following the trial.

Proctor was represented by Tom and Chris Tavares-Finson and Fellington by Vincent Wellesley and Marlon Gilbert Roberts.

Senior prosecutor Dirk Harrison and Sanchia Burrell appeared for the Crown.