Man released last month... now to serve 9 years’ hard labour

A Morvant man was yesterday sentenced to nine years’ hard labour for the July 23 robbery of an Arouca taxi- driver.

Michael Williams, 32, of Sixth Avenue, Morvant, was charged with one count of robbery with the use violence. Taxi driver Gilbert Garcia was reportedly driving along the Priority Bus Route in the vicinity of Seventh Avenue, Barataria, when one of his passengers attacked him with a cutlass and robbed him of $200. Police officers attached to the Barataria Police Station happened to be passing in the other direction when they saw the altercation and arrested Williams. The charge was laid by PC Russel Maharaj. Garcia was treated for lacerations to both arms and discharged. Senior Magistrate Lianne Lee Kim read his list of 14 previous convictions which included robbery, breaking and entering and possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking. Lee Kim then sentenced the man, who was released from prison last month, to nine years’ hard labour.