Man sentenced on seven-year-old charges

Using an illegal firearm and inflicting serious bodily harm on an ice-cream man has resulted in a 12-year jail sentence for a St Michael man.

However, Javere Dillion Antonio Yarde, of Block C2 Field Place only has 502 days left to serve on that sentence imposed by Justice Randall Worrell.

Yarde alias Big Head had previously pleaded guilty to the two offences committed on July 17, 2013 as well as robbing the ice cream man, Curtis Hayde, of a chain and pendant worth $1,300.

In handing down the sentence today Justice Worrell told Yarde that Hayde was going about his daily routine trying to make an honest living when he was pounced upon. He told the convicted man that he could have been before the court on a more serious charge.

Pointing to the aggravating features of the case he said Yarde armed himself with an illegal gun and discharged the firearm injuring someone during a robbery. “This did not happen on the spur of the moment. . . .You were trying to feed a drug habit [but] that is no excuse”.

The judge stated he could find “absolutely no” mitigating factors.

The court took note of Yarde’s age and the fact that he is still a young man who was only 19 at the time he committed the offences. “The principle of rehabilitation has to take place in relation to you. You were remorseful from the onset and wanted to plead guilty.”

Justice Worrell then deducted a third from the 12-year sentence for the guilty plea leaving Yarde with a nine-year prison term. Time was also taken into consideration for the delay in getting his case before the assizes and two sentences he had already served, leaving the convict with seven years or 2555 days.

But Yarde has spent a majority of that time on remand – some 2,053 days – leaving him with 502 more days in jail. He was convicted, reprimanded and discharged on the robbery charge.

While he is behind bars at HMP Dodds Yarde has been ordered to undergo drug rehabilitation and counseling and must return before the No. 2 Supreme Court for a review.