It made news in April of 2006 when Deputy Police Commissioner Maureen Leslie’s 21-year-old son was accused of stabbing another young man to his neck on the basketball court in Belmopan. Well now 22 year old Derrick Leslie has pleaded guilty to the maim of 28 year old Gerald Hewlett. Leslie faces a maximum of 20 years in jail. He will be sentenced on Friday.
He had been initially charged with attempted murder, and pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of maim today. Hewlett received long term damage, and only has limited use of his left hand. Hewlett is a BDF volunteer who says he had hoped to become a lance corporal but the limited use of his left hand and the fact that his voice often fails may hold him back. The stabbing resulted from an argument over a travelling violation.
