Man who killed Rihanna’s cousin gets a 38-year prison sentence
BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC) — A man convicted of killing the cousin of Barbados’ national hero and international pop star, Rihanna, has been sentenced to nearly four decades in prison, with the High Court stressing the need for tough penalties to combat gun violence.
Shawayne Deshawn Williams was sentenced to 38 years and 138 days in prison on Friday, after being found guilty by a jury earlier this year of killing Tavon Alleyne. The 21-year-old was shot near his home on Boxing Day in 2017. Williams has maintained his innocence.
In delivering the sentence, Justice Laurie-Anne Smith-Bovell said the courts must play a central role in protecting the public and deterring the use of illegal firearms.
“Public concern about illegal firearms and violence and the need for general deterrence must be reflected in the sentences passed by the courts,” the judge said, citing Director of Public Prosecutions Reference No of 2003. “The public are entitled to expect the courts to play their part in fighting the proliferation of firearms and violence.”
The court heard that Alleyne was shot multiple times just as he got out of a taxi around 7:00 pm on December 26, 2017. An eyewitness identified Williams as the man seen running from the scene, while another witness placed him in the area shortly before and after the shooting.
Justice Smith-Bovell outlined several aggravating factors, including evidence of premeditation, the use of an unrecovered firearm and the fact that the victim was unarmed and ambushed in a public space. The court also found the killing was an act of revenge linked to a prior shooting involving the convicted man.
The judge set a starting sentence of 39 years, adding time for Williams’ criminal history, risk of reoffending and other factors, before deducting credit for time spent on remand and delays in the proceedings.
Williams was also ordered to participate in rehabilitation programmes, including academic, vocational and psychological support, during his incarceration at Dodds Prison.
Director of Public Prosecutions Alliston Seale SC had submitted that, considering the aggravating factors of the case, Williams should spend between 43 and 45 years behind bars for his crime.
