Twenty-three-year-old Lester John, who attempted to rob the South Eastern District Credit Union (branch in Delices) with a fake gun last September, will visit five communities in that area and give lectures on the error of his ways in the near future.
This is one of a three-part sentence ordered by the High Court this morning after John pleaded guilty to burglary and assault with intent to rob the credit union.
The convicted man was also ordered to serve a three-year suspended sentence and pay a fine of $3,000 – to be paid in six months.
According to the facts of the case presented by State Prosecutor Wayne Norde’, on Monday, September 14, 2009, Janetine Hiliare – an administrative clerk employed at institution – had secured the building at about 5 p.m. and went home.
“The following morning at about 8:05 a.m. she returned to work. She opened the building and entered it. She was walking into one of the internal doors when she saw a masked man with a gun in his left hand,” he said.
“The masked man, using his right hand, grabbed at her. She moved backwards and started screaming. The man ran towards the door which he had left open for that purpose. His gun fell from his hand and he ran towards the back door. The complainant took the gun and threw it at the masked man as he was exiting the back door. That gun broke open in three pieces. The masked man vanished,” Norde’ told the court.
According to the state lawyer, prior to the complainant opening the building on September 15, John had bent and broken the hinges on an iron gate in front of the back door at 2 a.m. the day before. He had also forced open the dead bolt securing that door and cut a hole in the perimeter fence at the back of the building.
Norde’ said that John had written a note stating “I want a key” on a piece of paper and placed it on the vault in the board room. He came with black garbage bag and an old fertilizer bag. He had also placed two cigarettes inside the building with the intent to mislead police into believing that the perpetrator smoked.
John was subsequently captured by authorities to whom he gave a written confession in the presence of his lawyer. The matter was investigated further and he was charged for his offenses.
Lawyer David Bruney mitigated on his behalf while Ron Green was his character witness.
Justice Birnie Stephenson-brooks presided over the matter.
@Maudlyn C.:
Thid younh man did not mean to kill, but the woman could have died of a heart attach. How did he get to put the cigarettes on the vault, it meant that he broke in the night before. so he intened to rob without violence. But i believe God was with the woman. Since he did not kill, and did not get money in his attempt, the sentance is o.k. But will he do this again? Just talking in the community would not change his heart. He needs to give his life to Jesus Christ, who will meet all his needs, change his ways, and give him a purpose for living. Christ is the only answer, the one who can change people from the inside out.
@Muslim_Always: i DONT THINK U WOULD LIKE THE EXPERIENCE, IF IT HAPPEN TO U I THINK U WOULD THINK DIFFERENTLY.
@mac:
Please do not make me laugh. You are so correct. It sounds like a comedy show and then to get a light sentence. He does deserve a good beating.
@emotional!:
You will only find this flogging, in non-democratic countries as China, Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan and such non-democratic countries. Granted, I do not condone their oppressive regime but if there is one thing I like about them it is that they do not have patience with thieves and murderers.
The Law in the western world is too lenient which is why crimes and murders are increasing to the point the victims are sometimes treated worst than the criminals. It appears that the Law cannot handle them. These countries need to revamp their laws.
Even in Dominica some people are getting desperate for money and so much of it.
A mask and fake gun, eh? They are learning all this from TV and the Internet.
This is a serious offence. It is a joke to give him such a light sentence. I do think that he should be imprisoned for a year or more. During that time the authorities should try to rehabilitate him. Hopefully, he will learn from his greed and wickedness. After completion of this time, he should then have to do community work.
Where will he get the money from to pay to the Courts? He did not have any in the first place which is the reason why he tried to steal money. If someone lends it to him he has to repay it. Then, he will try to steal to repay them.
On another note, this is a lesson for the Credit Union. It is not safe that one employee and a woman at that should be allowed to remain on the premises at closing time and to open it in the morning. For safety reasons, at least two employees or more should be present at those times.
lectures on the error of his ways in the near future. he should rob the Judge. Big Idiot
armed robbery is a very serious thing, I am a victim of it and though I wanst hurt physically I am still affected today. Having a gun placed to your head is no joke, to this day am so scared to enter banks. This man should pay heavily for his crime.
Ridiculous!!!!!!!!!
So because nobody got hurt and the gun was fake it automatically makes this a joke? This was attempted robbery!!! How can that e his punishment. The police are doing their jo but the court is just not working. That is just encouraging young people to do crimes. Use a fake gun, dont hurt anyone and u can rob a bank and get off it with a hi-5.
NO WONDER THERE WILL ALWAYS BE SUCH CRIMES EVEN IN OUR SMALL COMMUNITIES. THIS YOUNG MAN HAS BEEN OF CHARACTER FOR SOME TIME NOW. THERE IS NOTHING LIKE A FALSE WITNESS! WHO WAS HIS CHARACTER WITNESS? SENATOR RON GREEN!
i must say that some of u only place foolish comments here. this man should be given hard labour with 5yr in jail so he will no how to work
lol, boy mr not easy. a dottish dat there, my boy she should have hold you and beat you. I just
happy the woman ok, because the outcome could have been worse for her. Then i wouldn’t be
lmao is a good thing she react like that at least she there to tell her side of her story. Personally
i think the sentencing guidelines should be harder but that’s just my opinion.
BOY LOOK RO RO IN DA THESE DAYS… OUR LEGAL SYSTEM NEEDS SERIOUS ATTENTION!!!!
haha ! She try to dung him withde gun ! aa well look it ! she should beat him with her shoe. I think he should take a jail for his stupidity!
That was a hilarious one, it was a great laugh. Pure comic! Be lenient with him, is his first time and he got no money lol.
Too much television….Boy some people do not realize the effects of television and where to draw the line. I believed it should be harsher penalty but I like the creativity; to lecture…bring some shame… He should have also be put to do some hard manual work with Solid Waste; he was bored so get him work to fill his days.
Our young men and their actions are ways of dealing with pressures of the society!
it is really a ‘Madea’ scene
This is not the Ron Green I am thinking of, is it?
What happen to having him do some hard work in the five communities cleaning the road side why are the five communities not mentioned? i need to know! we pay taxes so we should know. Thats what happens when we copy what we see on TV. Congratulations to our police officers thats why we are the best in the carribbean also, when the police does some great work as always is the case our detractors are not happy they keep quiet in those situations. TAKE THAT! I say, GREAT POLICE WORK. Keep it up Sisters and Brothers. I still feel the punishment was insufficent and linent but lets give him enough rope to hang himself if he does not learn this time.
mais ki bagaille sa nor? loll ehbeh! fake gun? my broda u cudnt get a hook up 4 a real one? pa god da is 2 show u how poor he poor he ain evn hav a real gun 2 do a real crime. mr is 2 much, he is a case and a half! loll dat hav meh laffin! stop watch dam tv go n get a job as a n actor it seems is da alone u can do. wen alex hav play again go n audition n u will hav real cash my broda!
Only in Dominica a man would attempt to rob a bank, loose his fake weapon to a woman, then have it thrown at him, what ever next? he must have a mental problem, he should be put in an institution for the mentally ill, I have heard it all this week woman vomiting insects and crab, then this, But then again that’s Dominica for you
Too Much Television!
Hahhahha…That reminds me of something “Madea” would do, “he complainant took the gun and threw it at the masked man as he was exiting the back door. That gun broke open in three pieces. The masked man vanished,” Norde’ told the court.”
I guess the clerk knew the gun was fake….
Anyways..Good decision from the Judge….I would make him build toys for Christmas…..
A FRUSTRATED YOUNG MAN BUT IT HAVE YOUTH SKILLS GET SOMETHING TO DO OCCUPY YOUR TIME AND STOP WATCHING SO MUCH DAMN TV THATS A PURE CSI CAN OF SCENE HE EVEN PLANTING CIGARETTES AT THE SCENE MY CROSSES LONG WE, WHEN HE GO TO THE LECTURES THEY SHOULD MAKE EVERYBODY GIVE HIM A STORKE WITH A WHIP. ANYWAY SON YOU HAVE BEEN GIVEN A CHANCE MAKE GOOD USE OF IT.
DOMINICA TOOOOO NICE.ATTEMP ROBBERY IS A SERIOUS CRIME. THAT WOMAN COULD HAVE DIED WITH HEART ATTACK.
Boy go get work to do and stop volehing people money they work hard to save. Is satan that have u going pray and ask god to forgive u.
stupes! these little boys r sick and need a serious flogging in public! they r just immitating wat they see on tv! little black boy; go to school and learn!
what a joke….. This man will be back to his same old tricks in 6months.
Suspended sentence for armed robbery????
Suspended sentences just don’t work. their behind need to be sent to a term of hard labor