Andrew Taylor, who said he was on drugs when he tried to drive off with another man’s car before crashing it into another vehicle, will be spending the next 56 months in jail after he pleaded guilty to a robbery with aggravation charge yesterday.
Magistrate Judy Latchman handed down the sentence to Taylor, 35, at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts yesterday.
It was alleged that Taylor, on January 5, at about 13:00hrs
drove off with a man’s car.
The man was at the La Penitence Market removing some bags from the trunk of his car, when he observed that the engine of his car had started and the car moved with Taylor in the driver’s seat.
The man, according to Prosecutor Bharat Mangru, held on to the car between the front and rear doors on the right side and attempted to hold on to the steering wheel of the car in an effort to prevent Taylor from going any further. Taylor then allegedly cuffed the man to the mouth and continued to drive the car, dragging the man several metres. However, the man managed to hold the car and raised an alarm. Subsequently, public-spirited citizens, including a licensed firearm holder responded.
The firearm holder, according to Mangru, discharged two rounds in the air but Taylor continued driving until he crashed into another vehicle.
He then exited the vehicle and ran into Fourth Street, Alexander Village, where he was apprehended by residents. The car was recovered and Taylor was charged.
Taylor, when given a chance to speak, told Magistrate Latchman that he accepted responsibility for his actions but noted that he was addicted to drugs at the time.
He, however, refuted the claim that he assaulted the owner of the car. “I didn’t hit anybody. Wid de speed I de going wid yuh honour, I couldn’t hit da man,” declared Taylor as he begged for mercy.
The owner of the car stood in court but was lost for words when Magistrate Latchman enquired about the losses he had incurred.
Subsequently, Magis-rate Latchman handed Taylor a 56-month-long sentence, while explaining that she took into consideration the fact that he did not waste the court’s time and the seriousness and prevalence of the crime.
