Scarlett’s murderer gets 10 yrs in prison

Panaji, July 19

Eleven years after the bruised body of British teenager Scarlett Eden Keeling was found on Goa's Anjuna beach, the Bombay HC today sentenced a shack worker to 10 years' rigorous imprisonment in connection with her death.

A division Bench of Justices RD Dhanuka and Prithviraj Chavan had held Samson D'Souza guilty on July 17 for "culpable homicide not amounting to murder" and molestation, among other charges. The Bench had overturned the verdict of Goa Children's Court which had acquitted D'Souza, but upheld the acquittal of second accused Placido Carvalho.

Scarlett (15), who was holidaying in Goa with her mother and siblings, was found dead on the beach on February 18, 2008. The cause of death was drowning.

Initial investigation was conducted by Goa Police. However, Scarlett's mother Fiona Mackeown alleged the probe was "shabby". The state government then handed over the case to the CBI.

D'Souza was present in the courtroom today. His lawyer sought a stay on the sentence to file an appeal in the SC, but the Bench rejected it. — PTI