21-y-o murder convict says juvenile centre associates led him astray

Deandre Grant, who, along with his cronies, murdered a man and a woman and wounded two other people in separate incidents between December 2022 and July this year, claimed that he was led down the wrong path by persons he met in a juvenile centre.

The Bellefield, Manchester, construction worker was on Thursday sentenced to life in prison. He is to serve 23 years and six months before the possibility of parole.

The 21-year old Grant made the claim during retrospection with a probation officer preparing a social enquiry report, which was accepted as part of the court’s record.

In the same report, residents of his community said they were completely shocked by Grant’s actions as his usual demeanour was that of a person “who couldn’t mash ants”.

The murder convict pleaded guilty last month on an indictment with 13 counts under a plea deal.

The charges consist of two counts of murder, two counts of wounding with intent, six counts of making use of a firearm to commit a felony, and three counts of assault with intent to rob.

In handing down the sentence, Justice Leighton Pusey accepted the sentence recommendations of Director of Public Prosecutions Paula Llewellyn.

Grant was given two life sentences for the murders of Soniel Muschette and Catherine Matthews. The judge ordered that he serve 20 years and six months for Matthews’ murder but granted the DPP’s recommended parole period of 24 years with respect to the other murder.

Justice Pusey said the sentence was reasonable given that Grant went on a rampage after the first murder.

Grant was further sentenced to 20 years each for six gun charges, 15 years each for the wounding charges, and 10 years for the assault with intent to rob charges. The sentences will run concurrently.

Describing the offences as serious, Justice Pusey said they were more notable because of the young age of the perpetrator, and, further, that the circumstances of the woman’s murder were particularly worrying because no motive was given for the attack.

The judge, however, noted that among the factors considered in arriving at the sentences were Grant’s guilty plea, his fairly young age, the social enquiry report, the submissions of the DPP and Grant’s lawyer, Paul Gentles, as well as the suggestion that Grant had been the subject of bad influence.

VICTIMS TRAUMATISED

Llewellyn, in her submission, highlighted the trauma caused to the victims.

“These were offences that were done in a very egregious way and caused a lot of suffering and trauma to the victims,” she said.

She noted that while community members had described the deceased Matthews as a loving and good family member, her relatives, including her spouse, who was also attacked, shared the trauma and sadness resulting from her murder.

She also pointed to another victim, who was shot four times in the chest and three times in the foot, noting that he, too, shared the pain he has been enduring.

The DPP, while indicating that Grant’s guilty plea must be taken as a sign of remorse, noted aggravating factors such as the multiplicity of victims, the clear use of the guns, and the similarities in the use of the gun.

Gentles said his client was not blinded by the aggravating factors and what was being said by the victims. However, he asked the judge to be mindful that his client was still young and capable of rehabilitation and that his guilty plea was a manifestation of his regret.

In the first murder incident, Grant and his accomplices shot and killed Muschette, a construction worker, on December 8, 2022, along the Kendal Bridge in Manchester.

In the second incident on March 3, this year, Matthews, a chef of New Green district, also in Manchester, and her common-law husband were walking home in their community when Grant and others pounced upon them and opened fire. Matthews was pronounced dead at hospital while her spouse was treated.

Grant struck again at a plaza in Mandeville on March 6, where two security guards were attacked by three men, one of whom was armed with a handgun. The attackers then restrained and demanded money from one of the two guards. The demands were not met, and a tussle ensued. However, the perpetrators fled after a gun went off.

Grant’s last victim, a minimart and bar operator, was shot and injured on July 20, at 12:45 a.m., after hosting an event.

Following the series of incidents, Grant was arrested on August 2 in Westmoreland in relation to a separate incident. He was later handed over to the Manchester police and charges laid against him on October 4.

tanesha.mundle@gleanerjm.com