Gun-toting bandit sentenced to 4 years’ imprisonment

John Blair of Melanie Damishana, East Coast Demerara (ECD) was on Thursday sentenced to four years and six months’ imprisonment for armed robbery and possession of a firearm and ammunition.

Blair was arraigned before Sparendaam Magistrate
Alisha George, who read the charges to him. He reportedly pleaded guilty to the charges, and accordingly was sentenced to four years, six months’ imprisonment and fined $100,000.
Blair was, on October 10, arrested for robbery committed on Joel Prince, 29, of South Better Hope, East Coast Demerara (ECD) and Otisceia Innis, 21, of Cummings Lodge, ECD. The robbery reportedly took place at Industry, ECD.
It was reported that on the day in question, Prince and his girlfriend were at the seawalls at Industry when the suspect and his accomplice held them at gunpoint and relieved them of their valuables, as well as the motorcar.
However, the victims reported the robbery to ranks of a Police mobile patrol that was passing at the time, and the ranks gave chase and were able to apprehend the robbers. In an attempt to evade the Police, the suspect and his accomplice crashed the car into a bridge under construction.
Blair was apprehended by residents in the area, and handed over to the Police, but not before receiving a sound thrashing. His accomplice had managed to escape.
Meanwhile, upon checking the crashed car, an unlicensed handgun and a magazine with five live rounds of ammunition were found on the front passenger’s seat. Blair was subsequently charged.
Guyana Times understands that, during interrogation, Blair admitted that he had stolen the firearm from a security guard during a robbery committed on a Chinese supermarket along the East Coast of Demerara almost a month ago.