Man who tried to get man to “taste gun” gets 18 years for robbery

A Campden Park man who dragged another man into a church yard then ordered him to taste a gun by trying to put it into his mouth, will spend the next 18 years of his life in prison for robbery and other charges.

Fernando Daniel appeared at the High Court before Justice Rickie Burnett on January 17, 2025, where he was sentenced to prison for robbery; illegal possession of firearm and ammunition; unlawful discharge of a firearm; and wounding.

The facts are that on October 28, 2022, sometime after 11:00 p.m, Devante Stapleton was walking towards his home when he heard an aggressive voice behind him ordering him to stop.

Stapleton turned in the direction of the voice and saw a masked man dressed in black, pointing a firearm at him. The man ordered Stapleton to give him everything he had and Stapleton handed over his cell phone and his cross-body bag which contained a battery pack and a USB cord.

The man, who was later identified as Fernando Daniel, then ordered Stapleton to lie face down on the road. Daniel searched Stapleton’s pockets, then kicked him several times about his body. Daniel held the gun against Stapleton’s head, pulled him up from the ground, and dragged him across the road down into a church yard. Daniel then interrogated Stapleton and accused him of a killing in Kingstown.

Stapleton told Daniel that he must have mistaken him for someone else because he never killed anyone, and knew nothing about what Daniel was speaking. Daniel tried pulling Stapleton further down into the church yard where it was dark, but Stapleton resisted. Daniel ordered Stapleton to open his mouth to taste the gun and continually threatened to kill him. He also told Stapleton that a vehicle was down in the dark waiting for him.

Stapleton was frightened for his life and suffered a panic attack. Daniel put him to sit on the wall pathway leading to the church’s door, and continued pointing the gun at Stapleton. Daniel taunted Stapleton and continually told him to taste the gun. Stapleton became weary of the taunts and death threats and told Daniel to kill him if that is what he was going to do.

When Daniel took his eyes off him, Stapleton grabbed hold of the gun’s slide and frame, and pushed it upwards out of his face. He wrestled with Stapleton and discharged the gun into the air. They wrestled into a yard that is near to the church. Stapleton, who was on top of Daniel, had control of the gun, and struck Daniel repeatedly in his head and face with it.

Daniel bawled out that he knew who Stapleton was and begged him to stop hitting him. Stapleton told Daniel no, because he wanted to kill him, so “me go kill you now”.

Someone from the house in whose yard the men were, opened a window and yelled at them to get out of his yard. Stapleton screamed for help and said that Daniel was trying to kill him, but the person closed the window.

Both men got up, and Stapleton held on to Daniel, pushed him, then escaped to seek help. Stapleton then saw Daniel pushing the gun into his waist as he walked down the road towards him and went into the junction leading to his home.

Stapleton was given a ride to the Questelles Police Station and reported the incident to the police. The police met Daniel at the hospital receiving medical attention. They visited the scene with Stapleton, where they met Daniel’s friend searching through the grassy area at the scene.

He was arrested. The police also arrested Daniel, who was interviewed. Daniel made no comment throughout most of the interview, but denied committing the offences.

He was found guilty on the four counts. Daniel’s sister asked the court for leniency.

After time spent on remand- amounting to two months and one day- were deducted, the court sentenced Daniel to 17 years, nine months, and 30 days for robbery; five years, 30 days for illegal possession of firearm and ammunition; six years, nine months, 30 days for unlawful discharge of the firearm; and eight years, one month, 30 days for wounding. All sentences will run concurrently. The court also ordered that Daniel enrols in an education and training programme while at His Majesty’s Prison.

[Updated January 22, 2024 @10:52am to change the sentencing of Fernando Daniel in the headline from 17 years to 18 years]