Sorry trio

Three St George men had to find $10 000 each in order to avoid 18 months behind bars in connection with a decade-old crime.

Justice Carlisle Greaves imposed the forthwith fines on Rico Orlando Small of Flatt Rock, Ricardo Akeel Donavan Callendar of 1st Avenue Newbury, and Shamar Victor Omar Gibson of Newbury.

Gibson and Callendar had to pay $5 000 on each of two counts of robbery while Small was fined $5 000 on two separate counts of handling stolen property.

The crimes were committed on September 10, 2012.

The alternative, if the fines were unpaid, was 18 months in jail which is the remainder of an eight-year starting sentencing imposed by the judge.

Senior State Counsel Neville Watson told Supreme Court No. 3 that the three convicted men were part of a larger group who went on an enterprise to rob two Caucasians who were in a car.

Two of the others in the group went beyond the plan and engaged in further acts but Small, Calendar and Gibson were not on board with that.

Addressing the court, 27-year-old Small said: “I am truly sorry for my role in the incident and I am asking for your leniency . . . . I am truly sorry to the people . . . and I would like some time that I could pay a fine.”

When it was his turn to address the court, Callender who is now 28 years old also apologised for his part in the criminal enterprise.

“I am really sorry. I would like a chance to continue to be a father to my daughter . . . . I am willing to pay the fine . . . . I will try as hard as possible.

Gibson, 24, also asked for time to pay the fine.

“Apologies to the court for my mistake. Just want to say sorry to the people that I offend . . . [and ask] for time to pay a fine,” he said.