School boy's plea spares thief jail term

School boy’s plea spares thief jail term

Dec 20, 2011 News

– tells magistrate it’s the season of goodwill and forgiveness

In the season of goodwill, a victim in an alleged robbery with aggravation matter has pardoned his attacker attributing his act to the compassionate spirit of the Christmas season.
Nicolas Kahn, a miner who was robbed of a cell phone and beaten during the process, told the court yesterday that it is Christmas, the season for sharing and especially caring and thus he wished to end the matter against robbery accused, 25-year-old Ray Payne.
The youngster, who appeared before Acting Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry, told the court that he no longer wished to pursue the matter against Payne since it had been six months since his attacker was jailed and seeing that it was Christmas, it was the time to show kindness.
After appearing several times to answer the charge against him, Payne remained in prison for little over six months. The man who resides at Lot 45 Plumb Park, Sophia, was accused of taking away a $30,000 Nokia cell phone from the teen who was on his way to school on June 6.
The man had allegedly used personal violence towards the child. It is alleged that at Sophia, while the child was making his way to school, the defendant approached him and tried to take away the device. Kahn reportedly objected to the man having the phone and was pushed to the ground by the accused.
The boy according to the information fell and the defendant kicked the boy several times. Payne allegedly made good his escape. On a later date the culprit was seen by the child who was returning from school. He alerted ranks who were available at the time, and caused the man to be arrested.
The 25 year old who lives only a few doors from the victim was grateful to hear that he had been pardoned and would be spending his Christmas holiday as a free man. He repeatedly thanked the magistrate and subsequently his victim.
Payne was advised by the magistrate that he takes this occasion as a lesson and to try his best not to return before court again.