In the middle of his trial for the murder of his friend, Ignatius France yesterday decided to plead guilty to the lesser offence of manslaughter, for which he was sentenced to 12 years in jail, with deductions to be made for the time he has already served.
Following his denial of the capital indictment initially read to him yesterday morning for murdering Mark Ashby, France’s trial subsequently commenced before a jury at the High Court in Georgetown, where two of the four state witnesses to be called completed their testimony.
When the matter resumed after lunch, however, France, through his attorney Maxwell McKay, indicated to the court his desire to change his plea to the lesser charge, thereby accepting that on May 11th, 2012, at Port Kaituma, he unlawfully killed Ashby.
