Teens remanded on robbery rap

BY PAUL A REID Observer West Writer reidp@jamicaobserver.com

Thursday, October 14, 2010

MONTEGO BAY, St James — Two teens aged 18 and 12, who allegedly held up and robbed a man of his wrist watch and money about a month ago appeared in the Montego Bay Resident Magistrates Court last week.

Eighteen-year-old Davin Russell who told the court he had run away from home in Westmoreland a year ago after being abused by his mother was remanded in police custody. The twelve-year-old who the court heard his mother was mentally ill was offered bail, but will stay in a government facility for juveniles.

The allegations are that the complainant saw both men watching him on September 5.

They sunbsequently approached him with knives and demanded money and his watch.

It was heard that the younger of the two told the other man to box the complainant and then both threatened him with violence.

The complainant, the court heard, later saw the police and made a report.

When they were held, Russell was seen wearing the watch.

Russell who told the court he had been sleeping outside the Cornwall Regional Hospital, said he had left home in Retreat, Westmoreland after repeated beatings from his mother. He admitted however, that he had also given her a lot of trouble by staying away from school, stealing, going out late at nights and drinking.

He also told the court he had spoken to persons at the nearby Seventh Day Adventist church in Mt Salem who had promised to help him get back to school.

Russell said he was supposed to have started at a HEART Academy in September but was in jail when the school term started.

Attorney-at-law Natalie Messado who accepted a legal Aid assignment to represent the juvenile told the court that his mother was mentally ill and lived in the streets while his father lived in England.

The child who had stopped attending school, the court heard, was maintaining his innocence and said he was not a part of any robbery.

His case was transferred to the Family Court while Russell is to return to the Resident Magistrates Court on November 12 for sentencing.