Young men deny having guns

(CNS): Two young men both charged with possession of unlicensed firearms in relation to two separate offences pleaded not guilty to the charges against them in Grand court on Friday. As the police increase the pressure on local men suspected of being involved in gangs, they have made several arrests relating to gun crimes recently. However, both Robert Aaron Crawford and Kurt Carter pleaded not guilty to the respective firearms charges against them which include a nine-millimetre luger and a .38 revolver as well as ammunition.

Crawford was arrested in November last year following a car smash on the Esterly Tibbetts highway. He was charged with possession of an unlicensed firearm after police apprehended him as he tried to escape from the scene of the crash at around 3am in the morning. Police said at the time of his arrest that a nine millimetre Luger and ammunition was found in the bushes close to where he was caught.

Carter who was arrested following an incident on Hurst Road in Savannah in January has also pleaded not guilty to possession of an unlicensed firearm as well as wounding and unlawful use of a firearm in connection with the accusation that the teen shot and wounded Sean Dunbar.

Crawford was remanded in custody to Northward is set to go to trial before a judge alone in August and Carter who was also remanded in custody to the prison will return to court shortly to set a date for his trial.

Meanwhile, Leighton Rankine Jr also appeared in Grand Court for the first time on Friday morning having been served a seven count indictment relating to a shooting outside Club 7 last month. Rankine was arrested in the early hours of Ash Wednesday following the shooting and has been charged with attempted murder as well as possession of an unlicensed firearm after the gun used to shoot the victim was recovered at the scene.