PHILIPSBURG--The Prosecutor’s request for the execution of a conditional prison sentence was denied by the Court on Wednesday because the defendant had filed an appeal.
Sheldon E.L. Williams (24) was sentenced by the Court of First Instance on February 7 to four years for being an accomplice to the armed robbery of Scotiabank at Simpson Bay Yacht Club on June 9, 2017.
The Judge held him for the driver of the getaway car used in the robbery, during which three men took US $1,700 in cash, as well as cell phones and documents. He was also found guilty of possession of an illegal firearm.
When Williams committed the robbery, he was on probation for another crime for which he had been sentenced on January 12, 2017, to 16 months, six of which were suspended, with mandatory treatment at Turning Point rehabilitation centre. Therefore, the Prosecutor called on the Court for the execution of the conditional six-month sentence.
Attorney-at-law Safira Ibrahim objected to the request, as her client had filed an appeal on February 16, which rendered the judgment not yet irrevocable. “The Prosecutor’s Office is acting too fast and prematurely,” the lawyer said.
The Prosecutor disagreed and stated that the request had been filed with the Court of First Instance and not with the Joint Court of Justice, which will handle the appeal case.
“This concerns a new crime which was committed by a defendant with an impressive criminal record,” the Prosecutor said in calling on the Court to grant the request.
The Judge decided to put the case on hold until after the handling of the appeal.
