Trinidadian man robbed at gun point while sitting in van

A Trinidadian man, who came here over the Christmas season to attend a wedding, said while he was sitting in a van, Desmond Browne snatched two chains from his neck, then pointed a gun at him.

Yesterday, at the commencement of the trial at the Serious Offences Court, Terrel Woods, 44, told the court that on December 30,{{more}} he had just returned from purchasing some items when he boarded a parked passenger van in Kingstown around midday and was seated in the front passenger seat.

“I kinda close my eyes and after a lil’ while, I feel a hand on my chest. I jumped up the same time. The hand pull me forward and I draw back and the chains burst. He was holding on to my chains,” Woods recounted.

Woods further told the court that he unbuckled his seatbelt, alighted from the van and faced the man, whom he identified as Browne.

“When I going to go at him, he pull a gun, so I freeze and I stood there watching him. He told me if I come closer he go empty the (explicit) shells on me,” Woods stated.

He said Browne then fled the scene.

The total value of the chains is estimated at TT$96,000.

Browne was subsequently picked up by police and on January 2 was slapped with three charges.

When he arrived at the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) to lodge a report, Woods said he saw Browne in the holding cell area and pointed him out to officers.

“I said that is the guy who took my chain. Then he (Browne) ask me if I know him and told me that if I make him go to jail, he go hunt me down, kill me and drink me blood.”

He said the officers told him to behave himself, but Browne continued to dish out threats.

“He tell the officer, ‘I don’t want no apology from you. When ah come to you, is shot in yo head and I drinking yo blood and I go rip off the chain off your neck too’,” Woods said.

It is not clear if charges will be brought against Browne for allegedly issuing threats to the officer.

Browne, 38, of Largo Heights, is charged with theft of the jewelry, assaulting Woods, to wit “by pointing a gun at him” with intent to commit the offence of wounding and for unlawfully threatening to discharge a firearm at Woods.

The matter was heard expeditiously, so as to accommodate Woods, who travelled back to his homeland yesterday.

Browne was without counsel at the hearing and refused to ask Woods questions during cross-examination, stating that his lawyer will do so when the matter reconvenes.

The matter was adjourned to February 16, 2015.

Senior prosecutor Adolphus Delpesche leads the case for the Crown.(KW)