18 years for robbing parlour

A SANGRE GRANDE man who was arrested on New Year’s Day minutes after he robbed a parlour, was yesterday sentenced to 18 years hard labour. Garvin Campo, 32, of Quash Trace, Foster Road, Sangre Grande, appeared before Magistrate Ejenny Espinet at the Sangre Grande First Court and pleaded guilty. Police said on New Year’s Day, Vanessa Singh, of Quash Trace Extension, reported that while at her parlour at the same address she was robbed around 2 pm of $1,500 cash and several grocery items. She told police that the man had a cutlass and pointed something resembling a gun at her. A team of officers including PC’s Nicholas Vialva, Ramharack Gadar, Anil Baboolal and Sean Bernard immediately responded and spotted the accused in the vicinity of the robbery. He began running from the scene but was held at a nearby house where the cash and grocery were recovered. An iron pipe was also discovered in his possession. Campo was later arrested and charged by PC Baboolal for robbery with aggravation.

On arrival at the Sangre Grande police station, officers discovered that there was an outstanding warrant for Campo for a similar offence which occurred on November 20, 2003. On that occasion Mala Gajadhar reported to police that she was at her business place, Consumer Haven at the corner of Michael Street and Eastern Main Road, Sangre Grande, when she was robbed of $400 in cash and $110 worth of cosmetics. When Campo appeared in court last Friday he pleaded guilty to both offences and was remanded in custody for tracing and sentencing to reappear yesterday. Yesterday, when he appeared, Prosecutor Inspector Luke Rojas informed the court that Campo had four previous convictions for similar offences. He was sentenced to nine years hard labour on each count of robbery. The sentences are to run concurrently.