Drugs and gun earn ‘gang target’ 8 years in jail
(CNS): Javier Howell, who has been subjected to assault and bullying at HMP Northward because he has been perceived by gang members in the prison as an informant, was handed an eight-year prison term Wednesday following his conviction for an illegal gun and more than 120 grams of cocaine. The 26-year-old local man from Savannah pleaded guilty to the charges. Police had tracked a car seen on CCTV at a murder scene in October 2016 to his girlfriend’s apartment and recovered an adapted blank firing pistol, ammunition and cocaine in the vehicle.
During the murder investigation, the weapon found in Howell’s car was ruled out as the gun used to kill Justin Manderson at Seven Mile Shops. But Howell, who was placed on remand following his arrest, was interviewed in that still unsolved gang-related killing as a witness, which led to him becoming the target of local gangsters.
Although the gun found in Howell’s car was loaded and considered by prosecutors in the case as a lethal barrel weapon, drawing a mandatory minimum of seven years, the court heard that when officers in the case test fired the weapon, it exploded. It was also concluded that there was no evidence that the weapon was ever used in any crime.
While Howell had claimed the weapon and drugs were forced on him by people associated with the gang-related feud that led to the killing of Manderson, the crown did not accept his claim that he was under duress.
However, the court heard that Howell has been attacked in the jail on more than one occasion and that he is subject to ongoing threats and bullying by other inmates, who have treated him as what was described in court as a “grass and a rat”. Howell, who has served more than 18 months on remand since his arrest in October 2016 and suffers from mental health problems, will now face serving another six years alongside those who appear to wish him harm.
The judge concluded that while Howell may claim he was under pressure to take possession of the gun and drugs, there were ways he could have reported this to the police without being considered a “grass”.
The judge handed Howell an eight-year term for the gun because his decision to plead guilty did not come at the earliest opportunity and he had originally denied the allegations. However, he had admitted possessing the significant quantity of cocaine, with intent to supply, shortly after he was charged.
As a result, the judge, who had determined that twelve years was appropriate for that amount of narcotics, gave him full credit, cutting the term to eight years. The judge ordered that both eight-year terms as well as an additional twelve-month sentence for the ammunition should run concurrently.
Take ya licks boi!
He should’ve taken down his Facebook before he got locked up. What a loser.
The fact that the media is reporting him as a perceived grass is reckless at best; unnah just got him another ass whooping or worse. A perceived informer being called an informer in the news is a confirmation to those out for him. Well done CNS; next up we will hear about his death.
What his own lawyers said in public court. What, you think CNS shouldn’t report what he decided to tell the court in order to get a lighter sentence?
@Jotnar: I wasn’t in court, but certainly read it here, though. I pray for the young foolish wanna-be!
This sounds like a young man who got caught up with the wrong crowd and succumbed to peer pressure to fit with those gangsters he was hanging with. Now his future is ruined. The only hope is that other young people see the dangers of following the wrong crowd and get away from it.
He was having fun with it. Don’t be fooled.
there were ways he could have reported this to the police without being considered a “grass” …. right? the police would be the first one to say “oh Howell is who told us” … they do this foolishness all the time and expect people to come forward .. its the Cayman Islands people. someone knows someone who knows something about someone doing something …
Now ship him to a UK jail for his own safety.
We don’t want expats, even from the UK, yet you expect them to take our rubbish.
They’re taking everything else…why not the rubbish too? Or do you want it?
After the first two years wimpy will toughen up.
Said set watler lol nah tru bobo
@Anonymous 1:00pm: Then become a harden criminal for real and come after you for opening your mouth and being so insensitive and callous about him…. remember you may have a child or children walking in the same shoes of the dumb or naive young ppl…until then try having a heart so karma don’t kick your backside with the shame of having the same happening to your child(ren). Try praying for him/them to make better decisions, so they can improve their lives, giving us some peace of mind he/they won’t be coming for us next!!