Roger Watson v The King (Appeal from The Bahamas) – Sentence of 50 years quashed

Yesterday the Privy Council quashed Roger Watson’s sentence of 50 years imprisonment for manslaughter and remitted his case to the Court of Appeal of The Bahamas to be re-sentenced. A full judgment will be delivered at a later date.

In 2007 Mr. Watson had been convicted of the murder of a 12 year old boy and sentenced to death. In 2009 his conviction and sentence were quashed, and a manslaughter conviction substituted. Mr. Watson was then sentenced to 50 years imprisonment without his lawyers being given an opportunity to make representations.

In challenging the 50 year sentence, Mr. Watson was represented before the Privy Council by Paul Taylor KC, Amanda Clift-Matthews and Daniella Waddoup. They were instructed by the Death Penalty Project.

See the hearing here: https://www.jcpc.uk/cases/jcpc-2020-0090.html