Collymore not beyond redemption, says attorney ahead of sentencing

By Racquel Porter   

 

Defence attorney Dianne Jobson, who is representing murder convict Omar Collymore, was stopped in her tracks on Tuesday when she attempted to persuade the judge to ignore the victim impact statement of her client's daughter.

 

In the statement, read in court last week, Collymore's daughter described him as selfish.

 

Prior to Tuesday's adjournment, Ms. Jobson, during her plea in mitigation, submitted to Justice Leighton Pusey that the victim impact statement shouldn't be considered because the children have been under the influence of Simone's parents who already have a negative view of her client.

 

Justice Pusey responded by saying, "Let me offer you some unsolicited advice: It doesn't help your case one way or another to attack the victim impact statement of a young lady who has lost her mother and may feel badly toward her father. Stop beating up on the little girl…Move away from trying to analyse the heart of a girl that neither of us have ever met."

 

Meanwhile, Ms. Jobson stressed that Collymore migrating to Jamaica to start a business with his wife was a sacrifice he was willing to make for his wife.

 

She submitted further that Collymore's mother, who has medical problems, suffered as a result of the case.

 

Ms. Jobson went further, pointing out that Collymore suffered a great loss.

 

She said her client was a man of worth, and that he had assets and it wasn't a case of him marrying a rich girl.

 

She also pointed out that Collymore suffered financial loss by the death of his wife.

 

But Ms. Jobson said the greatest loss is the love of the children, since from all indication he had been an attentive father.

 

In the meantime, she submitted to Justice Pusey that the case is not the worst of the worst and that Collymore has lost his freedom.

 

She also urged Justice Pusey not to be influenced by Simone's relatives and family's emotional appeal.

 

Ms. Jobson said the media sacrificed her client before a verdict was handed down.

 

She added that the social enquiry report shows that Collymore is not beyond redemption. 

 

Collymore and his three co-convicts will have to wait an additional week to know how long they will spend behind bars.

 

Justice Leighton Pusey on Tuesday requested time to review a case law that  Collymore's attorney cited during her plea in mitigation. The medical report of Dwayne Pink is also to be submitted.

 

The sentencing hearing continues next Wednesday, July 24.

 

Collymore, Dwayne Pink and Michael Adams were on May 15 found guilty of two counts of murder and conspiracy to murder for the January 2, 2018 shooting deaths of Simone Campbell-Collymore and her taxi driver Winston Watson. 

 

Shaquilla Edwards was found guilty of conspiracy to murder.