PHILIPSBURG--Two men were given lengthy prison sentences Wednesday for having committed three armed robberies, among which was a hit-and-run committed at Platini Fine Jewelry store in Front Street in broad daylight.For this crime, committed in November 2008, and for the violent robberies of Asian residents of Longwall Lane in Cay Hill on May 25, 2009, and on Kangaroo Road in Belair one day later, main suspect John M. Hassell (21) was sentenced to nine years and five months.
During the hearing of this case, held on January 20, Prosecutor Rienk Mud requested 10 years for Hassell and eight years for Xavier M. Williams (22), who had also taken part in these crimes. Williams was sentenced to six years and 10 months, Judge Monique Keppels told him Wednesday.
The judge found it legally and convincingly proven that both young men had been involved in the midday robbery of Platini jewellery store, in the armed robbery of a group of Indian residents at their home on Welgelegen Lane, and the robbery of four Indian persons on Kangaroo Road. The last robbery took place three hours after Indian businessman Haresh "Danny" Dayalani was murdered in an apparent ambush at his Cole Bay home.
The robberies were committed by four persons. Two other suspects will stand trial on March 17.
Hassell and Williams were found guilty of having robbed the jewellery store while armed with a .22 calibre revolver and a hammer with which showcases were smashed. They made away with gold watches and chains, and bracelets inlaid with sapphires, rubies and diamonds.
They were also found guilty of having stolen a flat-screen TV, a number of cellular phones, wallets, bank cards, and a car during the robbery of eight Indian persons, all employees of the same supermarket.
The perpetrators had followed their victims in a car from Oyster Pond to their home, after which they were robbed. The robbers used a lot of violence, stabbing several of their victims in the back, while others were kicked and beaten with pool sticks.
The judge also found it proven that they had taken part in the Kangaroo Road robbery in which some Indians were robbed of the Toyota Highlander in which they were driving and of an iPhone, money, and debit cards.
The car, in which were a married couple, their one-year-old baby and a 60-year-old woman, was fired at with a shower of shots, which smashed the car's rear window. Metal particles of the ammunition landed in the driver's seat and in the driver's back.
The judge held both Hassell and Williams responsible for taking part in the "extremely violent" robberies, even though, due to contradictory statements, it could not be established exactly what role each had played. Judge Keppels therefore said she would base the punishment on the suspects' own statements concerning their involvement.
Hassell received a seven-month reduction of his sentence for having spent too much time in police detention. Williams received a reduction of two months for the same reason.
