The Kingston and St Andrew Court was told on Monday that the mother of a habitual robber said even though she loves her son, she ”would chop off him two hands.”

Andre Downer, 22, who was fresh off an aggravated robbery conviction and was released from a two year sentence in January, was slapped with an additional three year sentence for a similar offence. Downer now has three robbery convictions.

As soon as he was taken into the prisoner’s dock before Senior Parish Judge Lori-Ann Cole-Montague, the judge said, “Mr Downer, we meet each other again?” recognising the defendant immediately.

“Didn’t I give you a prison sentence?” she asked, to which he answered yes.

Court documents revealed that on April 30, the complainant was walking along King Street in Kingston after leaving church when Downer reportedly approached her, grabbing her purse and her Samsung smart phone.

The complainant said Downer held a knife to her side and when she called out “Jesus” and “mercy”, he reportedly said, “shut up, idiot.”

The woman said she ran and Downer gave chase. She, was, however, assited by people on the street.

Downer was later arrested and charged.

The complainant stated that when they arrived at the police station, a police officer said to Downer, “You again?”

“You muss’ did frighten fi see me,” the judge said to Downer.

Speaking up for the first time, the investigating officer (IO) repeated what Downer’s mother told him about chopping off her son’s hands.

The IO also said while Downer was away for the two years, robbery in the downtown Kingston area was almost non-existent.

“Twenty-two-years-old and you gone a prison already, look at that. Youth is really wasted on the young, you know. So you know you’re going back to prison, right?” Cole-Montague asked.

Pleading for leniency, Downer explained that he attacked the complainant because he couldn’t “read and write” and he can’t get a job, so he wanted to start a “chicken business” but he needed money to do that.

“Leniency. That’s a word that is often used. Leave it to people who are really sorry,” the judge said.

Meanwhile, when the complainant said that she was traumatised from the incident and may need therapy, Cole-Montague asked Downer if his mother would be willing to pay for therapy.

Downer told the court that his mother would. His mother was then contacted via telephone by a police officer to confirm.

After learning that she would have to pay about $50,000, Downer’s mother reportedly said she didn’t have any money.

To the complainant, Cole-Montague said: “Madam complainant, you are a believer and the Lord was with you.”

A fingerprint order was made for Downer.