Accused North Side robbers split on guilt

(CNS): Two men pleaded not guilty Friday to charges of robbery and possession of an imitation firearm in connection with an armed hold up at Chisholm's Supermarket in North Side last month. The men, who were captured after a police chase directed by the RCIPS helicopter, are accused of stealing jewellery, eleven packs of cigarettes, a cell phone and CI$300 during the stick-up at the local district store. Odain Ebanks and Ian Ellington will face trial in February but their co-defendant Courtney Bryan has pleaded guilty to the robbery and a sentencing hearing has been set for 5 December.  A fourth young man, who is only 16 years old and so cannot be named, has not yet entered a plea relating to his alleged part in the robbery.

The teenager’s defence attorney, Prathna Bodden, said that certain admissions had been made by the juvenile defendant to the police and she now needed to see some documents which had not yet been disclosed before she could proceed any further with her client’s case.

The four men were apprehended by unarmed police following a chase into East End after their getaway car was picked up by the helicopter and a district patrol car went in pursuit of the vehicle. The men were reportedly armed at the time of the robbery but no weapons were recovered when the police roundedup the four alleged robbers.