Court denies bid for less time for son who killed dad

NASSAU- A man has lost a bid for a reduced sentence for murdering his father by stabbing him 47 times in 2017.

Leon Sweeting’s lawyer claimed the 45-year sentence, for the callous murder of 76-year-old Leon Sweeting, was too harsh.

At his sentencing in 2019, Sweeting received credit for the one year, eight months and two weeks he had spent on remand awaiting trial.

Todd’s lawyer, Marianne Cadet, argued that the trial judge should have ordered a psychiatric report to assist with sentencing.

She also argued that his sentence was disproportionate to the severity of his crime.

However, Justice of Appeal Jon Isaacs found no merit in these grounds.

Justice Isaacs said the tribunal found no fault with the judge’s sentence.

Justice Isaacs said, “A person who is capable of the cunning execution of a family member with whom he held no grudge and for whom he ought to have some affinity would, in all likelihood, pose a danger to other members of the community with whom he did not share any degree of affinity or co-sanguinity.”