Barrackpore man pleads guilty to 2005 robbery

A Barrackpore man was sentenced on Tuesday to time served for a bar robbery he and two others committed in 2005.

Phil Joseph appeared virtually before Justice Gail Gonzales, who sentenced him to six years' hard labour for the May 7, 2005, robbery at the Golden Crown Recreation Club at Cipero Road, Borde Narve.

Since Joseph has already spent that time in prison while awaiting his trial, he was considered to have served his sentence already. He was represented by attorney Renee Atwell of the public defenders’ department.

It was the State’s case that on May 7, 2005, Satesh Ramsaroop was at the bar with his cousins and some friends when three men entered and ordered them to give them everything. They took Ramsaroop’s wallet, which contained his national ID card, his UWI identification card, his driver’s permit, his bank card and $250 in cash. The group was told to lie down in the bar, and he and other patrons were hit with the broad side of a cutlass.

The thieves left and the police were called.

Just after midnight, other officers on mobile patrol saw a white B15 speeding in the district and after chasing it, they were able to get the driver to stop. A jersey, black ski mask, a gold chain and pendant and a gold ring were found in the car.

The men were taken to the Ste Madeleine police station, where the driver told the police he was given the job to “work the car’ and took Joseph and two others to a bar, where they robbed the patrons.

He said he was given $75 and the ring and chain. He also said he dropped off the other two, and the officers stopped him and Joseph who were the only ones in the car.

Joseph told police he did not plan the robbery, but the two others picked him up, gave him a pump-action gun and told him they were “going on a wuk.”

He said they went to a bar and robbed patrons and he got $75 and two gold earrings. The third man who participated in the robbery was arrested by police at his home and admitted he was part of the act and also received $75 and two gold bracelets. The two others were also charged but were not before the court with Joseph when he pleaded guilty.

At Joseph’s home, the police found one of the earrings he spoke about and the other on a riverbank where he had thrown it.

Ramsaroop identified Joseph as the man who robbed him.