Kaneville labourer jailed for ganja possession, other offences
BRIAN Carter, 26, a labourer of Kaneville Squatting Area, East Bank Demerara, was yesterday sentenced to 18 years’ imprisonment by Magistrate Leron Daley at the Providence Magistrates’ Court, after being found guilty of a narcotic-possession charge, robbery and break and enter and larceny.
Carter will however serve only three years, seven months, as the sentences will run concurrently.
Carter was charged after the police found him with 33 grams of cannabis for the purpose of trafficking on March 1 at Grove Public Road, East Bank Demerara.
The magistrate in her ruling explained the she was satisfied by prosecutor Michael Grant’s case, which proved that Carter had the cannabis in his possession for the purpose of trafficking.
Magistrate Daley therefore sentenced Carter to three years in prison, causing him to break down in tears.
The accused was also facing three counts of robbery, while also being arraigned for three counts of break and enter and larceny, along with an additional charge of damage to property. Carter eventually decided to change his initial plea of not guilty to guilty.
Particulars of the first robbery charge alleged that on July 14, 2012 at Second Bridge, Grove, East Bank Demerara, Carter, being together with another man robbed Linda Davidson and stole her blackberry phone along with $150,000 in cash. The second charge alleged that Carter, being armed with a knife on Sunday, September 14, 2014 at Little Diamond, robbed Vanessa Marlon of her gold chain, bag and cash.
It was further alleged that Carter, while using personal violence, robbed Linden Niles of $3,000 on March 27 at Grove. The court heard that he unlawfully and maliciously damaged a pair of reading glasses worth $30,000, property of Niles.
The accused was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment on each of the robbery charges. He was however sentenced to seven months for robbing Niles.
With regard to the break and enter charge, the court heard on Tuesday, April 29, 2014 at Diamond Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara, he broke and entered the dwelling house of Maxine Benjamin and stole therein one laptop, jewellery, and a bottle of perfume, all valued at $280,000.
The court further heard that he on Friday, April 17, 2015 at Diamond Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara, broke into the dwelling house of Ravi Spencer and stole a quantity of items valued at $1,000,500.
The last charge stated that the 26-year-old Carter on Monday, May 4, 2015 at Diamond Housing Scheme, stole $475,000 in cash and household items when he broke and entered the home of Sahadeo Narine.
Magistrate Daley informed Carter that he was sentenced to 18 years’ imprisonment – three years for the possession and trafficking of cannabis along with another three years on each of the three counts of robbery and break and enter and larceny. The sentences will run concurrently.
Consequently, Carter was informed by the magistrate that he will serve only three years and seven months and sternly warned him that he should turn a new leaf and never come back before court.