On July 19, 2019, the Bombay High Court's Goa bench awarded 10 years of rigorous imprisonment to Samson D'souza in the Scarlett Keeling murder case. D'souza was found guilty of culpable homicide, drugging and sexually assaulting British teenager Scarlett Keeling at Anjuna beach in Goa in February 2008.
In February 2008, a half-clad body of a 15-year-old Scarlett Keeling from North Devon, United Kingdom was found at Anjuna beach, Goa. Initially, the Anjuna Police had tried to cover up the matter by stating it as a drowning case but the second autopsy report confirmed Keeling's rape and death due to a drug overdose.
In pic: An Indian fisherwoman walks near the place where the body of British teenager Scarlett Keeling was found on Anjuna beach in Goa.
Later in May 2008, the Goa police registered an FIR in the matter and arrested three suspects namely - Placido Carvalho, Samson D'souza, the barman at a shack, and Julio Lobo, the local tour guide who struck up a relationship with the teen. During the police investigation, Carvalho had admitted to drugging Scarlett and raping her before leaving her on the beach. Pic/AFP
In pic: Scarlett Keeling's mother Fiona MacKeown has a distressed look on her face.
In pic: Placido Carvalho (one the left) one of two defendants in the case of the rape and death of British schoolgirl Scarlett Keeling whose body was found in Goa in 2008, is surrounded by the media as he leaves the Children's Court in Panaji on September 23, 2016. Pic/AFP
Even though the Goa police had filed a charge sheet, it faced a barrage of criticism for their failure to properly investigate the Sacrelett Keeling murder case. In June 2008, the Goa state government handed over the case to the CBI for investigation.
In pic: Scarlett Keeling's mother Fiona MackKeown breaks down as the car carrying her daughter's coffin leaves for the airport from the police mortuary at Goa Medical College in Panaji. Pic/AFP
In October 2009, nearly 7 months after Scarlett Keeling's murder, the CBI filed a supplementary charge sheet and named three accused Placido Carvalho, Samson D'souza, and Julio Lobo, who were booked under Sections 304, 354, 328, 201, 109 and Section 8 (1)(2) of the Goa Children's Act.
In pic: A tattoo in Devnagari script which reads 'Scarlett' adorns the arm of Scarlett Keeling's mother Fiona MacKeown.
In February 2011, in the wake of the unsolved mysterious death of British teenager Scarlett Keeling, the British foreign office issued the travel advisory asking British women travelling to Goa to refrain from wearing short skirts and avoid travelling alone in the night.
In pic: Scarlett Keeling is seen happily posing and standing on the Anjuna beach in Goa, a few days before her death on February 18, 2008. Pic/AFP
Scarlett Keeling's mother Fiona MacKeown had started a high-profile campaign in order to bring justice to her late daughter. The Scarlett Keeling murder case made international headlines with Keeling’s mother Mackeown seeking the intervention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the case.
In pic: Fiona MacKeown with her lawyer Vikram Varma in Panaji, Goa.
Scarlett Keeling's murder trial began only two years after she was found dead on Anjuna beach in Goa in 2008. In the case, close to 72 witnesses testified, and Scarlett's mother MacKeown had to wait for nearly four years before she could bury her daughter in the garden of their family home back in the UK.
In pic: Foreign tourists take part in the mourning ceremony of British national Scarlett Keeling whose body was found on the Anjuna beach in Goa on February 18, 2008. Pic/AFP
On September 23, 2016, Goa Children's Court acquitted the two accused in Scarlett Keeling murder case. The accused, Samson D'Souza and Placido Carvalho who faced charges of culpable homicide and grievous sexual assault, were cleared of all charges over the death of 15-year-old British national Scarlett Keeling on a Goan beach in 2008. Post the Goa Children Court's decision, Scarlett's mother Fiona MacKeown said she was 'disappointed' with the verdict and would appeal and 'definitely move to the higher court'.
In pic: Michael Anthony Mannion, a British national and witness in the Scarlett Keeling murder case speaks to media representatives outside Porvorim police station in Goa. Pic/AFP
In March 2017, Fiona MacKeown, Scarlett Keeling's mother launched a crowdfunding campaign to generate 20,000 pounds (around Rs 16 lakh) towards her fight for justice. Fiona had said that the will be offered as a reward for information and/or evidence to help identify Scarlett's killers.
After the Goa Children's Court acquitted Samson D'Souza and Placido Carvalho on September 23, 2016, the CBI filed an appeal against the acquittal of the two accused, before the Goa bench of Bombay High Court, challenging the children's court verdict.
In pic: Samson D'Souza, one of the accused in British national Scarlett Keeling's rape and murder arrives at the Children's Court in Panaji.
In pic: Placido Carvalho, one of the accused in British national Scarlett Keeling's rape and murder leaves the Children's Court in Panaji after his acquittal.
After struggling for 11 years to get justice for her daughter Scarlett Keeling, 55-year-old Fiona McKeown finally got a verdict when on July 17, 2019, the Bombay High Court convicted accused Samson D'souza on all charges and acquitted the other accused Placido Carvalho in her daughter Scarlett Keeling's murder case.
In pic: Fiona MacKeown poses with a picture of her late daughter Scarlett Keeling in Goa.
Two days later, on July 19, 2019, the Bombay High Court's Goa bench awarded 10 years of rigorous imprisonment to the sole convict in Scarlett Keeling murder case Samson D'Souza. The Bombay High Court's Goa bench comprising of Justices R D Dhanuka and Prithviraj Chavan convicted D'Souza under sections 328, 354, 304 (ii), 201 of the Indian Penal Code and Section 8(II) of the Goa Children's Act.
Moments after the court pronounced the quantum of punishment against the sole convict Samson D'Souza, Scarlett's mother Fiona McKeown spoke to mid-day and said, "I am happy this ordeal is coming to an end. I want to know if he will appeal, only then will I get closure. The CBI and prosecution worked hard along with Vikram Varma [her lawyer]."
In pic: In Pic: Scarlett Keeling's mother Fiona McKeown embraces one of her daughters at Baga beach in Goa.
In pic: Tourists and friends of British national Scarlett Keeling sit around an impromptu memorial built-in her memory on her first death anniversary at Anjuna beach in Goa.
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