Child killer Jermaine Pearman and his accomplice, girlfriend Sharina Anne Tuzo were jailed yesterday for the manslaughter of their five-month-old godson Saed Young.

Pearman, who admitted battering the baby, was sentenced in the Supreme Court to 12 years, while Tuzo, who was found to be grossly negligent for failing to get medical attention for the child, was locked up for six years.

Saed suffered a catalogue of injuries including bruising, biting, a broken collar bone and fractured skull while Pearman and Tuzo were supposed to be looking after him at a house in Bob's Valley, Lane, Sandys Parish in August 1997.

Before he was sentenced yesterday, Pearman turned to Saed's mother, Roshea, who was sitting at the back of the courtroom, and begged her forgiveness.

When Ms Young broke down in tears, Pearman turned round to face the judge, Chief Justice Austin Ward, before collapsing in the dock.

Ms Young had loved Tuzo like a sister and allowed her and Pearman to look after the child for a week.

Pearman, who the court heard has an "anger management problem'', admitted shaking the baby and throwing him repeatedly onto a bed.

He accepted he must have been responsible for fracturing the baby's skull and collar bone, although he claimed he could not remember inflicting the injuries.

A pre-sentence report into Tuzo, who wants to become a paediatrician, concluded there was a high risk she might re-offend.

It found that while she showed remorse for the baby's death, she showed no emotion about her behaviour and lack of reaction to the circumstances leading to Saed's death.

Pearman's lawyer, Julian Hall, said his client admitted inflicting all the injuries on the child with the exception of the bite, but pointed out that he had been continuously battered by his own step-father.

He said Pearman, 28, of Bob's Valley Lane, loved his godson but he had an "anger management problem'', and when he tormented the baby it was a bizarre attempt to toughen him up.

Senior Crown counsel Brian Calhoun urged Mr. Justice Ward to impose heavy sentences on the pair.

He said the court could not bring back Saed or right the wrong, but "within the rules of the law it can try to ensure this type of incident does not occur again''.

Child killer and his accomplice girlfriend sent to prison Mr. Calhoun added: "This is a pain suffered by the mother and the family but also, as Saed is a child of Bermuda, a pain suffered by this entire community.

"It is even more despicable to know that this child through no fault of his own, other than the fact he cried as all babies do, was subjected to an escalating pattern of abuse throughout the week including the breaking of the collar bone, all that happening before the infliction of the fatal injury to the head.'' Although Pearman admitted having problems controlling his temper he "continued to abuse this child day after day rather than withdraw himself'', said Mr. Calhoun.

"In that context, Mr. Pearman showed a callous disregard for the health and life of this baby,'' he said.

Mr. Calhoun added that Tuzo, 20, of Bob's Valley Lane, knew Saed was showing signs of physical abuse or ill-health that would, in the words of one doctor who testified, "be obvious to anyone'' but chose not to get him medical care.

"This five-month-old baby was placed in her care. It could not protect itself or walk away from that abuse,'' he said.

"That was the care that Tuzo took upon herself and she violated that trust, and it is no doubt that violation has contributed to the death of that child, as the jury so found.

"What is especially disconcerting about Tuzo's pre-sentence report is that she acknowledges her remorse for not removing Pearman or the baby or taking him to hospital (but that) she was protecting Pearman. Simply put, Miss Tuzo was and is in a state of denial.

"The defendant was not only part of the atrocious treatment of this child but also (according to the social inquiry report) the risk of re-offending in this regard remains high.'' The court heard Pearman has convictions for having unlawful sex with a girl under 14 and one under 16, and for failing to provide food and care for a dog.

Mr. Hall said: "He acknowledges and can't refute the opinion of the doctors that the fatal injuries three to four hours before admission to hospital in all likelihood were caused by repeated blows on a hard surface.

"My client doesn't remember (inflicting) these injuries on the child but he accepts that no one could have done so but him.

"If there is any window of doubt on that aspect regarding the doctors' evidence, my client puts forward as fact that on one occasion in the middle of the night he tripped over kittens while carrying the baby.

"He accepts he has a serious anger management problem. His problems include inadequate training in child care, and the treatment he gave the baby was wholly inadequate and by any objective standard cruel.

"He acknowledges responsibility for the tragic death of the baby but at no time was there the intention to do grievous bodily harm or kill him.'' Mr. Hall added: "This young man is the product of a most inadequate upbringing. He tells us from a young age he was beaten continuously and mercilessly.

"He tells us that by the time he reached aged nine he was proud of the fact that he not only stood up to his step-father but beat him up.

"He also tells us that part of the motivation in dealing with the baby was that his godson should grow up as tough as him.

"This is all illogical, all strange. I am not saying it should be rewarded with anything like leniency.

"He's been reared in the belief that most problems can be resolved quickly and sharply by hitting out.'' Mr. Hall said a custodial sentence was inevitable, but said Pearman required help for his problems. He had pleaded guilty to manslaughter and had shown genuine remorse.

Tuzo's lawyer, Philip Perinchief, said his client had shown remorse and loved Saed.

He said Tuzo had given minor medical aid to the baby for a mark on its foot.

He said if the Crown's theory was correct that Saed's fatal head injuries occurred around 3 p.m. or 4 p.m., there would only be a small window of opportunity to get him to the hospital before he was irreversibly brain damaged.

He said his client was more in "disbelief'' than denial about the injuries inflicted on Saed.

Tuzo now has a seven-month-old son.

And Mr. Perinchief pointed out that the pre-sentence report had found "she acknowledges she has learned many new things as a result of this trial and they would alert her to any harm to any child in the future''.

"My client has suffered enough,'' he said.

Before passing the sentences, Mr. Justice Ward told Pearman and Tuzo: "This was a very bad case of child abuse. Both of you are in some way responsible but the degrees of culpability are different.'' Photos by Arthur Bean Behind bars: Sharina Anne Tuzo and Jermaine Pearman are led from Supreme Court yesterday to begin prison sentences imposed in connection with the killing of their godson Saed Young.