10 years in jail for mason who fatally beat lover’s reputed husband

Sterfon Barlow, the 38-year-old mason and father of two who admitted to fatally beating his lover’s reputed husband was on Wednesday sentenced 10 years’ imprisonment for the crime by High Court Judge Brassington Reynolds. Back in February, Barlow and his lover Alexis Turpin were tried for the murder of her reputed husband, Sherwin Johnson.

That trial ended in a hung jury. As such, Justice Reynolds further remanded them to prison pending a new trial. However, last month, Barlow appeared in court again and pleaded guilty to the lesser offence of manslaughter, thereby admitting that he unlawfully killed Johnson, a father of five on July 2, 2016. 

Sentencing for Barlow was deferred to Wednesday for the presentation of a probation report on the confessed killer. Barlow told a probation officer that he regrets his action and is sorry the man died since he never intended to kill him. He begged the court for leniency and asked the judge to consider the fact that he has two minor children, ages five and seven. He was represented by Attorney-at-law Clyde Forde, while the case for the prosecution was presented by State Counsel Tyra Bakker.

According to reports, Turpin and Johnson shared a relationship and lived together with their child at Lodge, Georgetown. On the day in question, Johnson came home and found Turpin in bed with Barlow. A fight ensued between the three of them. It is alleged that during the fight, Turpin and Barlow teamed up against Johnson. They used a crowbar, pieces of wood, and a knife to inflict injuries on Johnson.

After the beating, Johnson was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he remained hospitalized for several days. A joint attempted murder charge was brought against Turpin and Barlow. After Johnson died, the charge against them was upgraded to murder. In the meantime, Turpin is awaiting a retrial for the offence; the matter is expected to come up again at the April session of the Demerara Criminal Assizes.