After the court hears from the complainant in a robbery case on August 12, acting Magistrate Elwood Watts will determine the fate of Ryan St Abeean Jean-Marie.
Jean-Marie, a 26-year-old caretaker of 4th Avenue Pickwick Gap, St Michael pleaded guilty today in the District ‘A’ Traffic Court to robbery and assaulting the complainant.
The court heard from police prosecutor, Sergeant Theodore McClean, that Jean-Marie and the woman, Shakira Worrell, were involved previously.
On July 31, Jean-Marie was questioning Worrell about her whereabouts. He then grabbed her handbag and the two struggled for it. He got control of it and ran off. When he brought it back later, $100 was missing from inside.
When Worrell asked about the money, Jean-Marie allegedly pulled a gun from his waist and pointed it at her, causing her fear.
A report was made to the police and Jean-Marie was brought into custody.
When acting Magistrate Elwood Watts asked him today to say something for himself, Jean-Marie asked “if I could wait ‘til Friday ‘til I get pay, and pay she back the $100 she say I take from her . . . but I only take $20 from her, sir”.
“But suppose it was five cents, you still would have robbed her,” Watts explained.
“But she is a woman who does go in my pocket when I get pay and take out what she want,” Jean-Marie explained.
He also said “me and she did together up to last night” walking towards Kensington Oval. It was only after he returned from walking that he got arrested.
The two also have a ten-month old child together.
“Truth be told, robbery is a serious offence that can land you in prison . . . I am going to bring Shakira Worrell here to hear what she has to say . . . If you walking about Barbados with a gun, is jail you going,” Watts told Jean-Marie.
Jean-Marie was then granted bail and told to return to court next Wednesday.