Burglary accused denied bail

Three young men, from Lower Burney, St Michael have been remanded to Dodds Prison on an aggravated burglary charge.

They are 23-year-old general worker Tremaine Alexander Beckles, 19-year-old Joshua Fernandes Jeremy Franklyn and 18-year-old student Miguel Alvin Campbell.

The three are accused of entering the Silver Fox Arcade on May 14 and stealing $4 347 cash belonging to Laura-Ann Holdings Limited while they were armed with two firearms and a knife.

Station Sergeant Crishna Graham objected to bail based on the seriousness of the charge and the strength of the evidence “in that some of the property was recovered”.

The business community, the prosecutor said, needed “protection” from the young men.

But attorney-at-law Steve Gollop who represented Beckles and Franklyn urged Chief Magistrate Ian Weekes to grant his clients their pretrial freedom at this time.

He said that the District ‘A’ Magistrates’ Court was “empowered with additional mechanisms” to ensure the accused attend court when required or “to prevent them from finding themselves being accused of similar matters”.

The defense attorney said the court could also impose a curfew and have them surrender their travel documents.

“We should not say to persons in their positions – very young, clean records –  ‘you are so out of control that we [need] to find you when we need you . . .’,” Gollop submitted.

He said that the prosecutor had pointed to the strength of the evidence but that was only one side.

“Sometimes when you place these things under the microscope you will see a totally different picture,” he added.

The lawyer also argued that the court should not take the “extreme course” of placing the young men at Dodds “among hardened persons”.

Campbell, who represented himself, urged the court to allow him to finish school as he was studying Food and Nutrition and other subjects.

“I would like to get bail and I would keep myself out of trouble,” Campbell said.

However, Chief Magistrate Weekes did not exercise his discretion in their favour stating that the three were being accused of a very serious charge.

They were remanded until June 8.