Man jailed for City Gate robbery

AN East Dry River labourer has been jailed for three years for robbing a man of two cell phones at City Gate, Port of Spain, two Saturdays ago.

Another man, Emmanuel Harrison, 18, of Sea View Hill, Carenage, was sentenced to community service for the same offence.

Both Brandon Hector, 43, of Herman Scott Street, East Dry River, and Harrison appeared before 11th Court magistrate Nizam Khan in the Port of Spain Magistrates’ Court yesterday.

In sentencing the two, Khan said too many people used the City Gate transport hub on a daily basis and should not be subjected to violence. He also said such acts were far too prevalent in the city.

He also commended PC Reynato Sanchez for his diligent work, recommending that he receive a $500 cash award from the Commissioner of Police, in accordance with the Police Service Act.

Sanchez said at about 5.40 am on October 13, he and other policemen were on foot patrol at City Gate when they saw three men entering.

A short time later Sanchez heard someone shout: “Police, police robbery,” and a short distance away they saw a man lying on the ground by the toilet area, being beaten by the three men he saw earlier.

The victim was cuffed in the face and two of his teeth were knocked out. The policeman also saw when one of the men took his victim’s cell phone.

Sanchez shouted out and the men ran off. Hector was held and pointed out by his victim.

Later that morning, Hector went with police to Batson Place, East Dry River, where they found Harrison.

They were both charged with robbery with violence.

In his defence, Hector claimed he had been drinking the night before.