Deputy PM Richards guilty of defaming senator Nigel Carty

Former St Kitts and Nevis Minister of Education and Information, Hon. Nigel Carty, has won a nine-year-old defamation case he brought against current Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education, Hon. Shawn Richards.

Richards, the People's Action Movement (PAM) parliamentary representative for St Christopher 5, sat on the opposition benches when the defamation remarks were made on January 13 and 16, 2010 on political platforms.

"Those statements alleged that Mr Carty, then a minister of government, engaged in criminal sexual conduct. The matter was tried today (April 15, 2019). The judge ruled in favour of Mr Carty and found that he was defamed by the statements made by Hon Shawn Richards in 2010. There was not one scintilla of evidence provided by Hon Shawn Richards in this case to support the allegations that were made on the public platform," said defense attorney, Sylvester Anthony on Freedom 106.5 FM on Monday afternoon.

"The trial was held today and there was not one ounce of evidence, even suggested by Hon Shawn Richards to support the vile allegations that were made against Mr Carty, then a minister of government in 2010," Anthony added.

He disclosed that the trial judge, His Lordship Mr Justice Eddy Ventose in his judgment has given directions for the hearing of the assessment of damages on November 28, 2019.

"We will then make submissions for the quantum of damages to which Mr Carty is entitled to as a result of the defamation," Anthony said.

Carty, an opposition senator in the National Assembly welcomed the judgment on Monday telling Kyss102.5 FM, pointing out that the allegations by Richards had no basis.

"He provided no evidence to the court. He did not provide a proper defense which reinforces the argument that he knew the allegations he made were very untrue. We contended and the judge agreed that Shawn Richards purely for political gain," said Carty.

During the trial, Carty was represented by the law firm of Sylvester Anthony.

Richards was represented by Terrance Byron, Fitzroy Eddy and Victor Elliott-Hamilton