A 25-year-old man, who pleaded guilty to robbing a woman of her handbag at gunpoint as he exited a PH taxi on Wednesday, was yesterday sentenced to 48 months hard labour. Calvin Reid of Old St Joseph Road, Laventille, appeared before Magistrate Gloria Jasmath in the Port-of-Spain 11th Magistrates' Court. Around 3 pm on Wednesday, Reid was a passenger in a private car proceeding along the Old St Joseph Road, when he requested to be dropped off near the Coconut Growers' Association.
As Reid got out of the car, he pointed a gun at the front seat passenger and demanded her handbag containing $4,000 in cash before running off. The angry woman, along with the driver chased Reid a short distance before catching him. The police were notified and Reid was arrested and charged. Sgt Azad Ali who prosecuted the matter objected to bail after a trace revealed Reid had eight pending matters for similar offences.
