Young man gets a ‘sentence discount’ on armed robbery charge

A MAN who appealed a six-year sentence for armed robbery of a motor vehicle  got his sentence reduced to three years’ hard labour by Justice Wendell Kangaloo after he was informed that he would get a “sentencing discount” for good character. The matter came before Justice Margot Warner and Justice Kangaloo in the Magisterial Appeals held at the Port-of-Spain Court of Appeal yesterday. Following the confirmation of the three-year sentence, the family of accused David Bharath broke down in tears.

Attorney Ryan Cameron appeared on behalf of accused David Bharath to appeal the severity of the sentence. At the trial, Cameron explained that Bharath, who was 22 years old at the time, was jointly charged with Duruk Bachus for robbing Hansraj Rajbally at knife point of his Nissan Blue Bird, at Centre Pointe Mall, Chaguanas, on June 24, 1994. Cameron explained that although Bharath had a clean record, he was sentenced to the same period as Bachus, who had two previous offences at the time. Cameron explained that due to Bharath’s tender age and the fact that he had no previous or pending matters, he should have been dealt with in a different manner.