Roberts sentenced to five years in prison

Bernard Roberts is now into the fourth day of his five-year prison sentence, following conviction on felony gun and ammunition charges.{{more}}

Senior Magistrate Donald Browne slapped the five-year sentence on the Union Island resident on Tuesday, August 17, at the Kingstown Magistrate’s Court.

Roberts pleaded guilty to having a .38 revolver, four rounds of .38 ammunition, one round of .357 magnum ammunition and 20 grams of cannabis.

On the gun charge, Roberts was sentenced to five years; three years each on the possession of .38 and .357 ammunition and two months on the cannabis possession. The sentences will run concurrently.

On August 15, 2010, Roberts was met on the beach at Chateaubelair by Rapid Response Unit (RRU) personnel.

When Magistrate Browne asked where he got the illegal weapon, Roberts told the court he found the gun and someone gave him the ammunition. He added that a man by the name of “Kerlan” was going to buy the gun from him. “I wanted the money,” he explained.

After hearing his explanation, Browne served Roberts with a heavy tongue lashing. “Like you wanted to mow down a lot of people in St Vincent…Guns are made to do one thing and one thing only, and that is to kill,” he stated.

Browne also asked Roberts who was he going to kill. Roberts replied: “I don’t do them things dey.” The lanky lad added that he did not want to turn the gun over to the police because he was afraid he would be arrested.

“This country has suffered a lot over the past few years from people being shot and we don’t know who shot them,” Browne stated.

The outspoken magistrate lauded the police for their vigilance and for their quick action. (KW)