-court hears

An eighteen-year-old boy who allegedly stole a gold chain from a conductress was remanded to prison on Monday when he appeared before Magistrate Melissa Robertson-Ogle at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court.

Leon Duncan of 977 Willemstad Road, Festival City, pleaded not guilty to charge of simple larceny from the person.

It is alleged that on September 5 while disembarking a bus, Duncan snatched a gold chain valued $75,000 from the conductress, Debra McPherson.

McPherson who was also present in the court explained that the bus picked up Duncan and his friend at Kaikan Street and was ordered to drop them off on Aubrey Barker Road. As they reached their destination, McPherson asked that the two boys pay the fare. She said that she opened the bus door and allowed the two boys to disembark the bus with the intention of collecting the money but Duncan allegedly snatched her gold chain and fled with his friend.

McPherson went on to say that she along with a few other persons had started chasing after the boys but eventually  gave up when the boys jumped over a trench and continued on their way. She said that one of the persons who was also chasing after the boys informed her that he knew them.

She afterwards made a report at the police station about the incident. Sometime after, McPherson said that she was told that Duncan was being held at the CID Headquarters at Eve Leary, after which she went and identified Duncan at an Identification Parade.

Magistrate Robertson-Ogle then ordered that Duncan be remanded to prison until he had paid back for the chain since McPherson stated that she would not pursue the case if she was compensated for the chain. Duncan is due to reappear in court on September 23.