Panaji:Bombay High Court at Goa on Friday sentenced Samson D'Souza to ten years of rigorous imprisonment in connection with sexual assault and death of 15-year-old Scarlett Keeling, a British teenager, at Anjuna Beach in North Goa on 2008.
On July 17, 2019, the High Court at Goa had convicted Samson D'Souza while acquitted Placido Carvalho in connection with the crime which had attracted national as well as international attention 11 years back.
Earlier, Central Bureau of India (CBI) cousels sought severe punishment and compensation for family of the victim while D'Souza's lawyer Shailendra Bhobe requested for leniency submitting that the convict did not have prior criminal record, was father of a 12-year-old child and only breadwinner of the family.
CBI advocate Aizaz Khan argued, ''In addition to seeking a very severe punishment, I seek that the victim may be compensated adequately. In this case the victim will mean the victim’s mother. She has had to run from pillar to post besides suffer trauma and severe pain in a foreign land." He also sought maximum punishement under law submitting that Goa was a state of tourist impartance and important to send message that such kind of crimes could be not tolerated.
While D'Souza was pronounced guilty of all charges in connection with the crime, Plácido Carvalho was acquitted of all charges due to lack of evidence. Advocate Vikram Varma, lawyer of Scarlett's mother Fiona Mackeown, submitted before the court that paedophilia should be treated with the highest level of seriousness. However, defence advocate submitted that the D'Souza was trying to reform himself.
Body of the British teenager was found at Anjuna Beach in North Goa district on February 2018, grabbing national as well as international attention.
The case was heard by Goa Children's Court, which, in 2016, after examining 31 witnesses had acquitted both accused, Samson D'Souza and Placido Carvalho, of all the charges, which included culpable homicide not amounting to murder, sexual abuse and drugging.
Scarlett's mother Fiona Mackeown had expressed shock over the judgement. Initially the case was probed by Goa Police, which had said that the teenager had drowned due to being in inebriated condition. However, later CBI took over the case after repeated request from Scarlett's family. The chargesheet was filed in 2010. Following ruling of the trial court, CBI challenged the judgement in the High Court in 2017.(UNI)