Jamaica News

40-year-old fashion designer, Janet Douglas, of a Ziadie Gardens, St. Andrew address, is to be sentenced in the Home Circuit Court on March 11, after a jury deliberated for five hours yesterday, before finding her guilty of murdering her lover’s wife (32-year-old dressmaker Isolyn McGill, of Cornpiece district, near Hayes, Clarendon).

During the four-week trial, it was revealed that jealousy was the motive for the murder, because Douglas had a love affair with police Sergeant Glen McGill, Isolyn’s husband. Isolyn’s body, with 19 stab wounds, was found in bushes at Hillyfield district, off the Bustamante Highway in Clarendon on the night of November 24, 2000.

Douglas was first convicted of the murder in 2005 and was sentenced to life imprisonment. She was ordered to serve 25 years before parole. She appealed the conviction, and the Court of Appeal ordered a retrial because of a protracted evidence-related dialogue that took place between the trial judge and the prosecutor. The dialogue took place in the presence of the jury, which the appeal court said should not have happened.

There was no eyewitness to the murder, but the Prosecution relied on circumstantial evidence to prove its case. Evidence was given that Douglas went to the deceased’s home on November 24, 2000, and gave her money to purchase certain items in May Pen, Clarendon. Shortly after McGill left, Douglas drove off in a motorcar, heading in the same direction that McGill had gone. Douglas returned to the deceased’s house later in the evening. When the deceased did not return home, a search was launched, and her body was found. The items which the deceased had purchased at a supermarket were found in Douglas’ car, while the receipt for the items was found in the deceased’s pocket.

Douglas denied committing the murder.

Two British nationals – 30 year old Heather Stoute and 59 year old Ruby Blackwood – who were found guilty of seeking to illegally export 119 pounds of ganja, were given lengthy jail terms when they appeared in the Half-Way-Tree Resident Magistrate’s Court yesterday.

Stoute and Blackwood, both of London, were arrested at the Norman Manley International Airport on January 25, after detectives from the Transnational Crimes and Narcotics Division searched their luggage as they were about to board a Virgin Atlantic flight for London. 85 pounds of compressed ganja was found in Stoute’s two suitcases, while 34 pounds were removed from Blackwood’s suitcase.

They were each sentenced to a mandatory two-year jail term, and in addition to this, Stoute was also sentenced to six months or J$15,000 (US$177) for possession of ganja; six months or J$200,000 (US$2, 362) for dealing in ganja; and J$544,072 (US$6,427) or two years for taking steps to export the drug. Blackwood was also sentenced to six months or $115,000 (US$1,358) for dealing in ganja; and two years or $213,000 (US$2,516) for taking steps to export the drug. She, too, was given six months or $15,000 (US$177) for possession of ganja.

The sentences are to run consecutively.

Four male students of the Mannings High School in Westmoreland, were reportedly stabbed during a brawl at the school yesterday morning. Two of the students are said to be in hospital in serious condition, with one having to undergo emergency surgery for punctured lungs.

According to reports, at approximately 8:30 a.m. yesterday, a boy was standing with his sister, when she was approached by a group of male students, one of whom had a knife. The boy with the knife reportedly began wielding the weapon as he neared the siblings, and the brother was allegedly trying to protect his sister when the knife fell from the boy’s hand. The brother, who is a Grade 10 student, reportedly grabbed the knife and began wielding it wildly, injuring four of the boys in the process.

The brother has since been taken into custody, and school was closed for the rest of the day. The school’s principal and staff held an emergency meeting after the incident, and Officers from the Education Ministry are expected to visit the institution today.