A homeless man was remanded to prison yesterday after being charged with trying to rob a woman of her cellphone in order to resell it for food.
Royden Browne, who has no fixed place of abode, was brought before Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry, charged with assaulting Natasha Outar with the intent to rob her of her $35,000 phone.
Browne pleaded not guilty to the charge.
According to the police, on November 15, on Regent Street, Outar was walking on the pavement with a friend when she was approached and cuffed by Browne. The man then reportedly held on to her phone. However, persons came to Outar’s aid and apprehended Browne. The police were contacted and the man was arrested and subsequently charged.
The police further alleged that Browne admitted to the crime, claiming that he had tried to steal the phone because he was hungry and needed money to buy food.
However, Browne denied the police’s account and said that he had indeed assaulted Outar but did not try to rob her. The man explained that he had been walking along the pavement while Outar and her friend were walking alongside him. “I accidentally jam the lady and she pushed me so I chuck she back,” Browne said.
Prosecutor Michael Grant objected to bail, stating the seriousness and prevalence of the offence along with the fact that Browne has no fixed place of abode as his reasons.
Grant’s objections were upheld and Browne was as a result remanded to prison until November 3.
