Dismay as conviction overturned in killing of marine

ON HEARING the news that the man she believed was responsible for the death of her fiancé, former British marine Brett Williams, had had his conviction overturned, Louise Scott said she was not surprised.

In the Pietermaritzburg High Court on Friday, Blayne Shepard won his appeal to overturn his conviction and sentencing for culpable homicide for the death of Williams in March 2013. Instead, he was convicted of assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm and was sentenced to two years’ house arrest.

Shepard, his friends and brother, had been involved in a fight with Williams outside the Kings Park Rugby Stadium.

“After he (Blayne) got leave to appeal, I had lost faith in the system.”

“It upsets me because no value seems to have been placed on Brett’s life. He’s here, buried near to our home, and I have got on with raising Lailah,” said Scott, speaking of their daughter, now aged 9.

Judge Kate Pillay said incarceration would serve no purpose, and recommended Shepard be placed under two years’ house arrest. |