Father of three sentenced to five years in prison

Before being sentenced to jail for five years, Enrico Johnney, a 24-year-old father of three, wept openly in court while promising to be a better man.{{more}}

The tears and promises of the Ottley Hall resident were however, not enough to convince Chief Magistrate Sonya Young not to sentence him on two criminal charges, at the Serious Offences Court on Tuesday.

Johnney was sentenced to five years in prison for threatening to discharge a firearm at Oscar Francis on November 27, 2012 at Fountain. He was also sentenced to two years in jail for using a 9 mm pistol to prevent the lawful apprehension of himself and his co-accused Moziah Westfield.

Johnney, who had also been charged with the theft of a gold chain valued at $4,500, the property of shopkeeper Veronica Miller, was found not guilty of that charge.

On the other hand, Westfield, 21, also of the same address, was sentenced to three years in jail for possession of a 9 mm pistol and one year for the theft of the gold chain belonging to Miller.

The sentences of both men will run concurrently.

On November 27, 2012, the two men were involved in an incident, at Arnos Vale, which caused the Kentucky Fried Chicken outlet there to be closed temporarily. The men are said to have snatched the piece of jewellery from Miller, 56, after which they were chased by a group of men who were nearby.

The chase ended when Westfield and Johnney were cornered at the KFC and beaten by the men chasing them, before being handed over to police.

In court on Tuesday, Johnney’s attorney, Grant Connell, told the court that his unemployed client is the father of three children, ranging in age from three to six.

“He’s been found guilty and throws himself at the mercy of the court. Although he was in joint enterprise, he was not the aggressor. He was at the wrong place at the wrong time and with the wrong friend,” Connell said in mitigation.

Connell pleaded with the magistrate to take into account his cleint’s three children when sentencing.

Johnney has three previous convictions for firearm related offences.

“I ask the court to give him an opportunity to look after his three kids and ask for a suspended sentence.”

Young, in her reply, said, “I’m not putting him on a suspended sentence. This is nonsense. It has to stop. He’s just walking around leisurely with a gun. That’s crazy. He should be doing better than to have three firearm offences.

“He has kids. He had this firearm in public, he brandished it to stop his apprehension. I’m going to pitch Johnney so far and let him think of what he’s done. The only saving grace for him is that there was no ammunition in the gun,” Young said.

Mitigating on his own behalf, Westfield told the court that he just made a mistake.

“Your Worship, I am a young man. I make a mistake. I want a second chance in life. I have me niece and them out there and I just want a second chance,” he begged.

“Why are you entitled to a second chance?” Young questioned.

Westfield said “I was in jail since March 1 and I been doing plenty thing like reading. I know I could do better. I ask for a little leniency, My Worship.”(KW)