Two 16-year-old youths were brought before the Kingstown Magistrate’s Court charged with four counts of abduction and other charges in connection with the incident in Glen last Friday.
Dale Hooper pleaded guilty to some of the charges brought against him while his co-accused and fellow Glen resident entered not guilty pleas on all counts.
The youths, were, however, not allowed to plea to some of the charges, as they were laid indictably.
The duo is accused and charged that on Aug. 17, at Villa, they “stole and carried away” without their consent — abducted — Alliyah Bullock, of Welcome, Johanna John, of Queen’s Drive, Shanez Francis, of Harmony Hall, and Jade Adam, of Redemption Sharpes.
Another indictable charge is that on the same date and place, being armed with a gun, they robbed John of one silver iPhone 6+ valued EC$1,200 and EC$390 in cash and at the time of so doing and in order to do so, put John in fear of then and there being subjected to force; robbed Francis of EC$9 in cash; robbed Bullock of one gold Samsung Galaxy S7 valued US$599 and EC$36 in cash; robbed Adams of one brown leather bag, value EC$100 containing three silver house keys, value EC$30, one lip gloss, value EC$5, two sunglasses, value $50, one white rag value $10, one white Apple headphone, value EC$150, one silver iPhone 6S plus – total value EC$2500 — and EC$30 in cash.
The men were charged summarily and were asked to enter pleas on a charge that without lawful excuse, they damaged the rear door and back windshield of motor vehicle P3587, value EC$3,100, the property of John and were reckless as to whether that property would be damaged.
Hooper pleaded guilty while Oliver pleaded not guilty.
The men entered similar pleas on the charge that they drove the said vehicle without the consent of the owner or any other lawful authority,
However, they both pleaded not guilty to a charge that they assaulted Bullock, causing actual bodily harm.
Hooper was charged separately and pleaded guilty, that on the same date, at the Villa Public Road, being the driver of P3557, he drove the vehicle without being the holder of a valid driving permit.
He entered a similar plea to a charge that he drove the said vehicle without there being in force a policy in respect of third-party risk.
The two men pleaded not guilty to a charge that they assaulted John, causing her actual bodily harm.
Prosecutor Police Constable Corlene Samuel did not object to the men’s bail but asked the court to request sufficient surety, order no contact with the virtual complainants, that the accused men surrender travel documents and that the court impose a curfew.
However, Burnett did not grant the request for a curfew, saying, “Most of the matters that come before me, I follow them from the beginning to the end, wherever that end is. I am not imposing any curfew.”
He granted the men bail in the sum of EC$15,000 each, with one surety and granted the prosecution’s other requests.
The magistrate ordered the men to report to the Calliaqua Police Station on Mondays and Fridays between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. The matters were adjourned and transferred to the Serious Offences Court for Sept. 3, 2018.
Reports are that three men abducted the women while they were boarding the vehicle outside a restaurant in Villa last Friday night.
This is extremely alarming look at these guys ages committing such heinous crimes.
We have huge problems in our little nation. We might be fast underway to becoming a failed state. Almost every week there are news-reports about minors committing crimes of every nature, among other things. What is the cause of all this desperation which is making our young people commit these horrible acts? Can it be that the youth see no prospects of being able to make an honest living?
You hear painfully little about Youth-programs, Sports, Arts and Culture and Development-progress. We hear nothing about Job-creation or Economic growth. Unemployment has skyrocketed and is getting worse. These problems are the side-effects of a terrible economic situation and this situation is only going to get get a lot worse before it gets better.
What more has to happen before the PM address this publicly? (like he was so quick to do in the case of the private school in Canouan) It would be surprising if this cabinet wins the next election because this enormous crime wave s a consequence of bad governance. And, for all those (well fed people) who want to say that this is not the government fault, please tell what is the cause and whose fault is it?
Why give these basted bail? They will be going to jail anyways.
At 16, full weight of the law, no sympathy for these criminals.
WOW…….only 15000 bail for kidnapping gun possession , discharge of a weapon etc. ……these criminals are grinning from ear to ear
Where did he get the gun from? Was the gun used before in the common of a crime? Look at how young they are? They certainly begin there career as criminal.
All the fancy talk is not going to help SVG with this type of behavior it’s time to try something else give these criminals who commit heinous crimes a good flogging with a bull pistle n put them 2 hard labor when they are found guilty.
Crime have no specific age group it targets an neither it do not discriminate. These guys are product of there environment. They will listen to idle talks from the fools they are around and think what they heard is doable and it will go unpunished. I do hope the magistrate send a clear message and grant them no leniency let them spam the rest of there youth with men who should turn them into there mates in prison.
They police need to interview them in relation to other crimes you never know.
RR you are bang on. They need some bull wips to bring them back in line. When they are finished let them have a soak in the sea as an appetizer.