A miner was sentenced to 18 months in jail on Thursday after he pleaded guilty to committing a violent robbery.
Daniel Parris, 23, of 22 Middle Street, Pouderoyen, West Bank Demerara, pleaded guilty to robbing Paul Ramdial of a Samsung Galaxy S5 phone, value at $140,000, a phone case valued at $4,000 and $50,000 in cash on April, 28 at High Street, Georgetown, while using personal violence.
Parris also faced a second charge, which stated that on March 13, at High Street, while armed with a knife, he robbed Boaz Jacobs of a $50,000 Blu phone and a $15,000 mountain bike. He pleaded not guilty to this charge.
According to the prosecution, Parris attacked Ramdial while he was on his way to work. The court heard that Parris approached him and hit him down on the road and then demanded that he hand over all of
his possessions. Being afraid, Ramdial complied and handed over his phone and cash. Parris later fled the scene but was arrested by the police sometime after Ramdial made a report. When questioned about the stolen articles, the defendant told the police that he had already sold them.
Prior to being sentenced, Parris told the court that he was sorry for what he did and asked for leniency.
Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan subsequently sentenced him to 18 months in jail, while noting that she took into consideration the fact that personal violence was used and the prevalence of the crime as well as the fact that he did not waste the court’s time.
Parris is, however, due to return to court on June 9 for trial before Magistrate Leron Daly on the other robbery charge.
