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(CNS): A George Town man who mugged two men in one night, taking valuable jewellery at gunpoint to pay off a drug dealer, was jailed Friday for four years and one month. Charles Leonard Walton III (25) robbed both of his victims in the early hours of 29 March on Eastern Avenue just after they had left Bananas Bar in the centre of the capital.
Walton hit his first victim over the head from behind, knocking him to the ground and threatening him before he ripped the chain from his neck and fled in a red car.
Just a few minutes later, Walton approached his second victim, who was walking towards his motorcycle. Hearing a noise behind him, he turned around to be confronted by Walton, who put the barrel of the gun up to his forehead and demanded his jewellery.
After taking the man’s chain and pendent, he asked his victim why he had looked at him “ugly” in the bar, making it clear that he had also been at Bananas earlier on. He then fled in the same red car.
Both victims went back to the bar and told the staff what had happened. The police were called, and the victims were able to pick out Walton from the CCTV. One of them later identified him in a lineup after he was arrested.
Walton’s first victim, who was 63 years old, was injured during the robbery and was in pain for some time afterwards. He lost jewellery valued at around CI$1,200 and, according to a report given to the court, he has suffered real anxiety since the incident, especially about going out at night.
The second man, who was 24 years old, was also traumatized. He said in his victim impact report that he knew that the gun that had been pointed at his forehead was real, and that “nothing can prepare you for the fear when you have a gun pointed at you”. After the robber cocked the weapon, he genuinely believed he was going to pull the trigger, he said. He lost jewellery valued at around $3,300.
Since the gun was never recovered, Walton was charged with possession of an imitation gun with intent to commit the robberies.
Walton pleaded guilty to the charges and has been on remand since. The court heard that he has a long rap sheet and has had a troubled life, having been abandoned as a very small child by both parents.
As a teenager, he was diagnosed with mental health problems and was placed on medication. However, having spent much of his time in care, he was not able to afford the required prescribed drugs and inevitably ended up self-medicating with alcohol and street drugs.
However, the court heard that last year Walton had managed to turn his life around. He had secured a job with the government after volunteering to clean up after Tropical Storm Grace, which led to a full-time job.
But just when he thought he had got his first real break in life, he was falsely accused of an assault. Even after he was acquitted of all charges, he didn’t get his job back and things spiralled downward for him, leading to homelessness and more drug abuse.
He told the police that he had given the stolen goods to a drug dealer he owed money to.
But since being on remand, he has been clean and is now working at the prison and trying to pull himself back together. A report by the probation service found that he had shown genuine remorse and described him as having some good personal qualities.
Justice Cheryll Richards, who presided over the case, urged him to turn his life around and take advantage of all the help he was offered while in prison.
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