Man says he stole phone to feed his children

A father of two said on Tuesday that he robbed a woman of her cell phone in an attempt to purchase a meal for his children.

"Me have two yute, a son and a daughter. Me did affi gi dem sumpn to eat and dem mada dead from last year, so a just me one. Me get a likkle work but that nah gi me nothing and yuh done know the Devil strong already," shared the defendant, Andre Robinson.

He pleaded guilty to robbery with aggravation and being armed with an offensive weapon before Senior Parish Judge Sanchia Burrell following his first court appearance yesterday. Prosecutors shared in the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court that on May 6, the complainant was conducting business downtown when she took out her phone to make a call. Shortly after, Robinson, who was armed with a knife, approached her and demanded her phone. A taxi operator saw the interaction and tried to intervene. Robinson was subsequently apprehended. When he was taken to the police station, the complainant's Samsung A025 cell phone was found in his possession.

When cautioned, the 34-year-old man said, "A di first time me a do this, me a first-time offender. Judge a go gi me a road sentence."

"You're a student of the system. We need to graduate you. You're a bit too old to be blaming the Devil," Judge Burrell said.

"No, Your Honour, a the first time me a come court," Robinson assured. However, the senior jurist requested that his criminal records be made available at the next court date. She also made Robinson the subject of a fingerprint order and ordered that the probation officers conduct a community report.

Robinson was fined $3000 or 10 days behind bars for being armed with an offensive weapon and was remanded in custody until July 23, when he is to be sentenced.