Accused snatcher says has dogs to feed and shouldn’t be remanded

A man who allegedly snatched a woman’s handbag was on Tuesday remanded to prison though he argued that he had dogs to feed.

He appeared before acting Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court.

The allegation is that on October 5 at Georgetown, Raymond Semple of 67 Public Road Kitty stole from the person of Yeshwari Jagroo one handbag, one cell phone, a quantity of cash and other items to a total value of $400,000, property of the said Yeshwari Jagroo.

The accused was not required to enter a plea to the indictable charge when it was read to him by the acting chief magistrate.

Prosecutor Lionel Harvey said that on the day in question the virtual complainant and her grandmother were walking along the road when they were accosted by the accused who rode up on his motorcycle and snatched the complainant’s handbag which contained the other items stated in the charge.

Harvey said that the  complainant was able to note  the registration number of the defendant’s motor- cycle which she gave to the police at Alberttown Police Station, leading to the subsequent arrest of Semple.

The prosecution made an application that the defendant be remanded to prison since he lives in the same community as the VC and there is a likelihood of him interfering with her and other witnesses.

The virtual complainant was not at court.

The defendant when given a chance to respond told the court, however, that neither he nor his motorcycle was involved in the commission of a crime. According to Semple the bike used in the robbery resembles his.

He further told the court that he was at home on the day in question and at no time did he leave his house.

In a bail application on his own behalf, the defendant told the magistrate that he has his dogs to feed and as result should not be imprisoned.

The unrepresented Semple was unable to secure his pretrial liberty and was remanded to prison until October 18.