KINGSTON, Jamaica — Businessman Michael McLean — who was convicted of slaughtering six members of a St Thomas family, including four children, 12 years ago — has been sentenced to life in prison on each count.

He was ordered to serve 20 years on each before being eligible for parole.

However, the judge ruled that he is to serve 60 years on the first three counts, but the 12 years that he has already served should be subtracted. This means that he will serve another 48 years before he can be considered for parole.

The other three sentences are to run concurrently to the first three sentences.

The 50-year-old chef was convicted of murder on all six counts on March 6 after a unanimous verdict by a seven-member jury.

He was convicted of killing his former girlfriend Terry-Ann Mohammed, her son, Jessie O’Gilvie, 9, as well as her niece, Patrice Martin-McCool and her children, Lloyd McCool, 3, Jihad McCool, 6, and Sean Chin, 9, in St Thomas on February 25, 2006.

McLean has however denied any involvement in the killings.

Tanesha Mundle