As police officers led Carlson Charles away to prison, it was clear that he did not agree with Justice Gertel Thom’s decision to send him to Her Majesty’s Prisons for rehabilitation. “Ain’t mek no sense all you send me round there,” said Charles.{{more}}

Justice Thom sentenced Charles, 19, of Arnos Vale to 12 years behind bars on a robbery charge. Charles did not waste the court’s time and pleaded guilty to the matter on Monday, January 19th, at the High Court in Kingstown.

On January 31, 2008, Charles went to the Macedonia Rock Hotel in Cane Hall where Felix Bowman was employed. Bowman left the reception area and went upstairs to turn on the lights. On his return, Bowman met Charles standing with a cutlass in his hand.

Charles held onto Bowman’s hands and then tied them with a shoelace. He then cut the telephone wire and had Bowman point out to him where money was kept. Charles removed money from a cash pan, along with snacks and beverages from the bar, and placed them in a rice sack that he was carrying. After making his haul, Bowman was then carried to the back of the building and further tied up. Luckily, he was not hurt.

Investigations carried out into the matter led police to Charles. He took the law authorities to the home of two men where some of the money was recovered.

Charles told the court that he owed some people money and that they were threatening to kill him if he did not come up with the money. “I just war ask the court for some leniency. I use to get treat bad by me mother and ting,” said Charles.

Charles is, however, no virgin to the law. He has over 10 previous convictions of a similar nature dating back to 2002.

Thom told the youngster that he had been sent to prison before, but only for short periods of time and that she was now giving him more time to be rehabilitated. (KW)