Robbery in Terres Basses: two 23-year old men sentenced to prison
Last week, he was sentenced to two years in prison by the Basse-Terre criminal court for having participated in an armed robbery in Howell Center on May 9, 2016 in which $30,000 and 2,800 euros were stolen. This morning, YC, aged 23, appeared again before the criminal court, but this time it was in Saint-Martin.
With two other individuals, one of whom was absent and the second one represented by his lawyer (he’s in the mainland for exams as part of his studies), he robbed a house in Terre-Basses on January 2, 2016.
YC explained that some time earlier, he was assaulted in front of a Dutch-side night club and that he had been defended by a third person, who supposedly is the individual who was absent in court this morning. And to thank him, the latter reportedly asked him to tell him which house was easy to rob in Terres Basses on January 2, while they were out having fun together. Indeed, YC’s parents live in Terres Basses and YC has also been living there for several months; he returned from the mainland where he had been following business studies in Montpellier.
According to their statements, only the suspect who was absent at the hearing entered inside the house; the other two supposedly crossed the gate and quickly went back out to wait for their friend in the car.
A tablet, a smartphone, some cash, a speaker and a pair of glasses were stolen during the night. The next morning, the owner noticed it and immediately activated the GPS system in order to locate his tablet. The address that appeared was in Concordia where the individuals were. A search was carried out by the gendarmes who found the stolen objects except the money and the smartphone.
Before the judge, YC acknowledged the facts and especially spoke of a mistake. He said several times that he wanted to get back on the right path. He confirms that he is enrolled in a business school in Montreal to follow the same curriculum as in France, but in order to learn English.
Via a letter addressed to the judges and read by his lawyer, his friend who at the time of the incident was on vacation at his parents’ home who have lived Saint-Martin for years, apologized to the victim, the court and his parents. He said that he regretted this act, which he considers as a mistake. He received a four-month suspended prison sentence.
YC received a six-month suspended prison sentence and two years of probation with the obligation to have a professional activity and receive therapy. At the hearing, he indeed admitted that he regularly consumed cannabis.
