Eric Cameron leaves the precincts of the High Court a free man, having been sentenced to time already served waiting for his trial. Photo: VINO

Cameron had on Monday May 30, 2016 pleaded guilty to the offences before Justice Byer. He had served a total of nine months since being charged with the incident.

Today the judge told him upon sentencing that she took into consideration a one third discount for the guilty plea and also because of his previous unblemished criminal record.

She also said she was impressed by a letter he wrote to the virtual complainant Avery Malone expressing remorse about the incident and accepting full responsibility for the incident which landed him before the courts. 

“You are sentenced to time served therefore you are free to go,” said Justice Byer. 

However, she warned him not to make such a lapse in judgement again.

“You have three boys,” she said. “You have to teach them that walking away does not impinge on their manhood,” she said.

In giving a statement in court before his sentence was read out, Cameron apologised to the court and to the family of the virtual complainant for the injuries caused due to the incident.

It was on April 18, 2015 when the defendant dealt the virtual complainant several blows with a baton on his head and legs over an argument about monies owed by the latter.

The court heard that Malone and Cameron shared a close professional and personal relationship as Cameron used to be employed with the Virgin Islands Fire and Rescue, where Malone worked also.

The argument ensued over a vehicle that Cameron lent to Malone which eventually became damaged. Cameron was also upset that Malone lent his vehicle to other persons without his prior approval.

“They fell out when the defendant asked back for the vehicle and asked for money to fix the damage to the vehicle. On the day in question the defendant went to get the money from the virtual complainant,” Stephens-Gordon told the court.

Cameron for his part said that it is something that he has learned from.

He acknowledged that being an intelligent man he should have handled the situation better.

According to Cameron, as a result of being incarcerated, he missed the birth of his last child.

He said that the trust placed in him by members of the public and the officers of the Virgin Islands Fire and Rescue Services, had been damaged and that the incident has cast a shadow on the person that he used to be.

According to Stephens-Gordon, her client is thankful for what he called God's intervention in the police patrol passing on Waterfront Drive during the altercation thereby preventing it from escalating further.

Stephens-Gordon said she advised her client to read the Psalms and call upon the Lord.