Mom: seven years is not enough

The mother of Malcolm Outerbridge last night spoke of her ‘outrage’ at the sentence handed down to her son’s killer.

Rashaun Codrington was jailed indefinitely at the Supreme Court for stabbing the teenager to death on the Railway Trail in October 2011.

Because he was only 15 at the time of the killing the minimum term Codrington will serve behind bars before he can apply for parole was set at just seven years.

Malcolm’s mother, Kaywell Outerbridge, told the Bermuda Sun: “I don’t think the seven-year minimum is nearly enough.

“I understand it is the law, but young people must be accountable for their actions and the law needs to reflect that.

“We need to take a look at this area of the law, not just here in Bermuda but all over the world, and ensure that young people who commit heinous crimes are appropriately dealt with.”

During the sentencing hearing yesterday Mrs Outerbridge fought back tears as she read from a victim impact statement she had written about her beloved son.

And she shared some her fondest memories of Malcolm in the wake of his devastating death.

She said: “I am in disbelief that I will never be able to hug, kiss and talk to my son again.

“It is a parent’s worse nightmare to hear their child has been killed.

“I can not find the words to describe how I feel.

“Malcolm will never be able to give me grandchildren and carry on the Outerbridge name.

She added: “I miss the simple things like how he would dance around doing the tango or lift me up on his shoulders.

“I still listen for his bike to run up in the yard.

“It’s still hard to open up his bedroom blinds and not picture him lying in bed under the blanket.

“And I still find myself looking for the hand written letters and post cards, which he sent us while he was away on the Raleigh expedition.”

Mrs Outerbridge also spoke of her deep and overwhelming pride in the presentation her son made in Bermuda about his experiences abroad with Raleigh International.

And Malcolm’s sister, Malcishia, spoke of how her brother’s Raleigh experience in Borneo had had a profoundly positive effect on him.

In a victim impact statement she revealed that she initially found out about her brother’s death on Facebook while she was studying in the UK.

She said: “I found out the worst possible way through Facebook.

“People were asking me what my brother’s name was; I had no idea what they were talking about and did not believe it could be him.

“I tried to message my brother, but got no reply.

“I just did not think this could be real.”

While Malcolm’s father, Malcolm Outerbridge, described his son as an ‘inspirational young man’.

He added: “He was heading down the right road, but bad things happen to good people. This has been the hardest time of my life and I just can not explain how I feel.”