Convict jailed for second armed robbery

A convicted felon was found guilty and jailed for one year and three months by Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan for another armed robbery he had committed last year.

Nico Layne, 21,  of Lot 59 East Ruimveldt, Georgetown was found guilty of robbing Ivelaw Hartman of a cell phone and $19,000, while he was armed with a knife. The incident took place last year June in West Ruimveldt, Georgetown. The decision was made by the Chief Magistrate on Tuesday at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

During her ruling the Chief Magistrate told the court that she had considered all of the evidence in the form of testimonies which were provided by witnesses, who were brought by the prosecution to testify. She said she believed the identification parade which was conducted by the police, was done in a fair manner, as it helped the virtual complainant to identify the man he said had robbed him on the day.

Magistrate McLennan said she did not believe Layne’s testimony and that the court thinks he premeditated and planned the robbery.

When Layne was called upon to lead his defence, he had told the court that he could not have recalled where he was on the day in question, but he maintained that he did not rob anyone.

Before sentencing him, the Chief Magistrate took into consideration the time Layne had already spent in prison while he was on remand for another similar matter.

In November last year, Layne was found guilty of armed robbery when he had appeared before Magistrate Judy Latchman charged with robbing taxi driver, Shafiek Mohammed of several items and cash, a total value of $65,000. It was reported that in May last year, he held up the taxi driver with a gun and took away his items.

Layne was jailed for 58 months by Magistrate Latchman for that armed robbery. His new sentence, of one year and three months, which was passed by Chief Magistrate McLennan will run concurrently with his previous sentence.