Judges confirm jail terms in case of overdose girl's death

The Criminal Court of Appeal yesterday confirmed a judgment whereby a mother and her son were sentenced to a total of 40 years in prison for the murder of an 18-year-old girl.

Jason Decelis and his mother Concetta had been found guilty of murdering Rachel Bowdler, whose body was found near Mġarr on May 13, 2001.

Their trial by jury, in 2006, had heard that, after Ms Bowdler had lost consciousness due to a drug overdose, Mr Decelis, aided by his parents, had carried her out of their apartment and dumped her in a field near Mġarr on May 12, 2001.

Mr Decelis had been found guilty of murder and was jailed for 25 years. His mother was also found guilty of murder and jailed for 15 years. Her husband, Carmel, was found guilty of involuntary homicide and jailed for one and a half years.

The Criminal Court of Appeal, presided over by Chief Justice Vincent De Gaetano, Mr Justice David Scicluna and Mr Justice Joseph Micallef, concluded that there was no doubt that the punishment was well within the legal parameters.

It was clear that there was nothing "wrong in principle or manifestly excessive" in the judgment handed down by Mr Justice Joseph Galea Debono.

The court added that Mr Decelis had been given the long jail term after his criminal record was described as colourful. His mother's sentence was considerably lighter because the jury had asked for clemency.

The court concluded that this was a particularly malicious case, where a young girl died because the Decelis had failed to do the most basic and elementary thing to do when someone faces problems: call for help. The court condemned their actions and confirmed the original judgment.