Youth accused of robbery with violence against elderly man

A 24-year-old man who allegedly robbed an elderly man of $700 while using violence was granted $50,000 bail when he appeared  before Magistrate Nyasha Williams-Hatmin on Thursday at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court.

Seon Brewster of West Ruimveldt pleaded not guilty to the charge of robbery with violence when it was read to him.

It is alleged that on November 7, Brewster robbed Jerome Jonas of $700 and used violence in the process.

However Brewster’s attorney Debra Backer said he was proceeding on a bicycle north along Sheriff Street, when Jonas suddenly swerved out of a restaurant on a bicycle causing the bikes to collide. She said that Brewster got up and attempted to help Jonas up when he started shouting “thief, thief.”  She said that a policeman, who was in the area, ran to the scene and searched Brewster and found $920 in his pocket and not the $700 that Jonas said he had been robbed of. “This case should be a traffic offence, not a robbery,” the lawyer said.

However, the prosecution stated that its facts were contrary to what the defence had presented. The prosecution stated that around 8.45 pm Jonas had just rode out on his bicycle from a restaurant when Brewster approached him “in a friendly manner”, but suddenly choked him, placed his hand in his pocket and took out the $700. When Brewster released him, Jonas started shouting for “thief” and a policeman went to his aid and arrested Brewster. The prosecution made no objection to the bail application.

The magistrate subsequently granted Brewster bail in the sum of $50,000 and ordered that he return to court on December 19.