Battered, bruised businessman wants firearm

A Campden Park bar operator believes that if he had a firearm, he could have prevented the assault on him and the subsequent robbery of his business place, which occurred over the weekend.{{more}}

He also believes that if he could not have prevented that particular incident, it would deter any future occurrences.

“If they know I had a gun, I doubt they would ah do that. I find they should issue firearm to people like me, and others, too.”

“I know others will come again, and as long as they know that you unarmed, they will always come at you.”

Garfield Patterson, also known as ‘Jacko’ and ‘Lion’, said that in all his 17 years of business in the Campden Park area, just on the entrance to the industrial estate, he had never had such an experience, except for a break-in many years ago.

When SEARCHLIGHT caught up with the dreadlocked businessman, he was at the Campden Park clinic awaiting his turn to have his injuries attended to. He related the drama which occurred in the early hours of Saturday, August 6.

“It was about one o’clock and the place was kinda dead and one come in and ask me for a pack of corn curls. He didn’t have on no mask and the rest was outside.”

“As I turn my back, I received this lash behind my head, and they knock me out.”.

“One of them stand up over me with the gun and tell me if I make any noise they will shoot me and kill me.”

Patterson recounted that in a semi conscious state, he recalls being tied up by three other persons along with the initial attacker, and dragged to an area in the shop, where he felt the men relieving him of his wallet, cellular phone, and jewelry, and heard as the men emptied his property of over $8,000 worth of product, including liquor, cigarettes, Clarkes shoes and other items.

“Is ah good while they stay, and after a while, I hear the door close; so I get up, but I couldn’t get me hand loose, so I come out and call me neighbour and he cut me loose, and I go in the hospital and they see bout me.”

Patterson sustained injuries to his face, right hand and shoulder, as well as the back of his head, which required seven stitches.

The matter was reported to the police, and the following day, Barrouallie residents Alister Gould, 24, and 27-year-old Noel Browne were arrested. Police allege they were found with some of the stolen items in their possession at Barrouallie.

Gould, along with Ronny Benn, and Paul Nichols, both 26, and also of Barrouallie, were also jointly charged with the theft of one Yamaha outboard engine valued $11,000.

Gould and Browne were remanded for one week on the robbery charges, while police continue to investigate the crime and attempt to recover the weapon; they will return to court on August 16 for bail review, while Benn and Nichols were granted $5,000 bail with one surety, and are to report to the Barrouallie Police Station on Wednesdays between 6am and 6pm.

The 59-year-old Patterson, while satisfied that there has been an early breakthrough in the case, said that he would have liked the police to ask him to identify the suspect who he saw enter the bar.

He said that he was upset because of the abuse that was meted out to him by the alleged robbers, and said that his next move was to seek permission to own and keep a licensed firearm.

“That is my next move.”

“I am going to the authorities and see if they could assist me with that.

“I feel like the system should issue a weapon to all legitimate businessmen; no matter how small the business is. Remember is anybody them men coming and putting a gun in your face.”

Less than one month ago, Bar operator Truman ‘Chewee’ Quashie shot and killed an armed would-be robber, who entered his premises with three other men, allegedly with the intent to commit robbery.