Father of three jailed for four years

(CNS): Shane Bodden, who was found guilty of shooting at another man over a missing cap, has been handed a four year jail term by a visiting Jamaican judge. As the crown never recovered the weapon and the slight abrasion sustained by the victim was not confirmed as a bullet wound, Bodden escaped the mandatory minimum sentence of ten years for possession of the weapon but will still be leaving his three children, all aged under ten, fatherless for a considerable period. Justice Carol Beswick pointed to a number of reasons for the prison term, not least Bodden’s rap sheet, as she said he seemed “determined to pursue a criminal career”.

Bodden committed the offence while on bail regarding allegations for other offences, which she said was an aggravating factor, coupled with the long list of serious previous offences for violence including assault, GBH, carrying an offensive weapon and damage to property.

Pointing out that firearms offences are considered very serious, the judge pointed out that there were few mitigating circumstances other than the fact that Bodden’s victim has been quick enough on his feet to avoid the bullet and as a result escaped with a mere scratch. Had that not been the case, however, the circumstances could have been worse.

The judge acknowledged that Bodden was a family man in a stable relationship with his common law wife of some eleven years and that as a qualified electrician he was the main breadwinner. Nevertheless, despite hearing that the family was struggling without him since he was remanded in custody, she handed down the four year term. Justice Beswick told the  defendant that when he was released from prison, she trusted he would use the opportunity to embrace his family and move away from his criminal career.

Bodden was convicted of firing an unknown weapon at Joseph Ebanks during an altercation at a property in West Bay last August. He had denied being the person who shot at Ebanks, who received a graze to his shoulder because, he told the court, he turned and ducked at the time of the incident. Bodden said he was at home at the time with his family. Although Bodden's partner testified on his behalf, the judge rejected her evidence.

With no bullet or casings found, no gun recovered and a difficulty for medical staff to confirm Ebanks’ injury was caused by a bullet, the crown proceeded against Bodden with a charge of possession of an imitation firearm with intent rather than with the real thing. He was also charged with wounded and threats to kill. The judge, however, dropped the wounding charge and changed it to common assault following an application by the defence.

Having found him guilty at the end of a judge alone trial of all three charges, she also sentenced Bodden to six months for the commons assault and three years for the threats to kill, all of which were to run concurrently with the four years for the imitation gun.