Tuesday February 9th, 2010
- Last update:14 hours 22 min ago
Cops unhappy with 6-month sentence for bank robber
Published: 3 Oct 2009
Surprise was expressed by police officers yesterday at the six months’ sentence imposed on one of three men who robbed the Point Fortin Republic Bank the day before.
Stern Emmanuel, 21, of La Brea, who was caught by police shortly after the robbery, pleaded guilty to a charge of robbery with violence, when he appeared before Magistrate Betsy-Ann Peterson in the Point Fortin Magistrates’ Court. Emmanuel’s two accomplices, who are believed to be from the Laventille area, are still on the run.
The trio staged the robbery around 9.10 am on Thursday in the presence of customers. Emmanuel told the magistrate he robbed the bank to get money to do a course. Peterson in passing sentence, took into consideration the guilty plea and the fact that he said he was sorry. She said lots of people make mistakes and even though this was a very serious crime, she was giving him a second chance. She then sentenced him to six months’ with hard labour.
'Easy' money or school
'Easy' money or school fees?
Stern Emmanuel wanted to do a course so he stole money from a bank with accomplices. His qualifications have not been made public, neither was it revealed what course he wanted to do. Is he speaking the truth or is it a 'lawyer's defence'? Is it a nice sad story concocted to attempt to bleed the magistrate's heart? No one knows the answers.
But hasn't he heard of GATE, where government pays all the fees for a degree, diploma or certificate from an approved institution?
YTEPP is a programme spread across the country to cater for persons between 15 and age 35 (I think) for them to be trained in a skill (welding, beauty culture, auto and diesel mechanics, food prepartion, micro entrepreneurship etc). The government pays the YTEPP students (trainees, they are called) a stipend of roughly $25 or $35 per session to cover travel expenses.
HYPE and MUST are two separate programmes for youth. These programmes provide the participant with on-the-job-training. So he could have even earned money while learning a skill!!
Plus, the government gives free classes at schools throughout the country via the Continuation Classes programme. Free classes in CXC, CAPE, NEC (welding, machine shop, mechanic etc) free free free. No upper age limit. Now the gov't pays for signing for cxc exams.
If he's already skilled, then he can go to NEDCO and apply for money to start a small business. Officers there will guide him through the process.
But to rob a bank to do a course is as believable as someone saying he cut off his nose and put it in his soup because he didn't have meat.
Seems like he has a good lawyer who came up with a believable excuse because he got caught stealing 'easy money'? Did the young man get mixed up with the wrong company? Or just maybe he was speaking the truth? Should the police be mad as hell? You be the judge.
The above is in no way a criticism of the Honourable Magistrate's judgement and/or sentencing, but suggestions as to how the young man could have done his course for free and with the state's assistance through the various youth programmes available.
ajfyzabadbutlertown
Yes, the accused was
Yes, the accused was 'sorry'. The likely story is that he was sorry that he got caught, not that he was committing a crime.
You are trying to steal money for a 'course' accompanied by several accomplices ? Unlikely story, and I do not believe a word of it. If he really wanted to do a course, all of the aforementioned information and resources are available to someone of his age (on a silver platter). If he was uninformed of this, he could have approached his (potential) instructor / institution and discussed the situation.
We see no evidence of a grilling by the judge of what this young man's plans and aspirations were that led him to commit such a crime, which has all sorts of unmentionable risks (mainly to the bank clients and staff). And you travel all the way from Laventille to Point Fortin to 'earn' money for this supposed course ?
An additional six lashes with a wet noodle for you for placing people at risk with your 'adventure'...
Send him to counselling while he is incarcerated, put him through a course of study, and dispense with the hard labour. We will then be better able to judge how committed this young man is to his post-secondary education. It could be the best thing that you could do to turnaround his life.
BANK ROBBER RECEIVE SIX
BANK ROBBER RECEIVE SIX MONTHS. Perhaps, this magistrate, comes from a distant land and don't know that our country have many institutions which cater for those willing to learn, free of charge. It clearly demonstrates the inability of those in high office, in performing their duties.
I agree with your comments,
I agree with your comments, completely.
This Magistrate got some explaining to do.
And we wonder why it is getting difficult to reign in crime in this country. Mr. Manning boasts about grand educatioal programmes and financial support, so why could this stupid man not take advantage of any one of these.
He and his 'friends' scared the daylights out of those seniors cashing their pension cheques. Anyone with a weak heart could have keeled over and met their maker.
Did he provide the courts with the names and addresses of his 'partners' in crime?
The police have all reasons to be annoyed. Can someone not appeal this decision?
There are many programs and
There are many programs and opportunities for the youth of Trinidad that they don't take advantage of. Magistrate Betsy Ann Peterson gave Stern a second chance to be a better criminal.
The police are doing their jobs by arresting them but the courts are giving these young men a "free to be bad" card.
Magistrate Betsy Ann Peterson----shame on you.
Agreed. Stern needed to be
Agreed. Stern needed to be in front of Judge Judy, not Magistrate Betsy Ann. There would have been a 'stern' lecture - no holding back (if you have seen Judge Judy in action).
This young man will go off to jail laughing at his sentence. Six months will be nothing for him. It is regrettable that the police have been put in this situation, where they have done their job, and where the punishment does not fit the alleged crime.
All too often these days, young men who go off to jail view it almost as a rite of passage. It is just something that happens and is no deterrent to future 'bad' behaviour.
Too many criminals are not caught, but those who are should feel the full force of the law.
The Great San Francisco,
The Great San Francisco, fire was started by "BETSY"
This sentencing is a joke.
This sentencing is a joke. Three men rob a bank, one gets captured the other two elude capture and with some of the money too. The one who was arrested wasn't compelled to name his accomplices or to identify from whom he obtained the gun but instead was granted six months in jail because he said he was sorry. This is madness. In a real court of law the prosecutors would have recommended a lenient sentence provided that the suspect name his accomplices, failing that they would have suggested to the judge a penalty of at least five years. Don S. NY
Cops unhappy with sentence
Cops unhappy with sentence and I unhappy and vex with cops only being transferred to other police stations after they commit their crime.