Jewel robber suspect remains in wheelchair

(CNS): The man who was run over by the police commissioner following a daylight heist at a downtown George Town jewellery store remains confined to a wheelchair some six weeks after he was crushed under David Baines’ car. Jonathan Ramoon appeared in court on Friday along with his co-accused, Christopher Myles and James McLean, in order to answer the charges against them, but the case was adjourned until 28 February after the court heard that the crown had just served further information on the defence attorneys. The RCIPS has also confirmed that there are no updates on the investigation into the use of force, when he was struck by the off duty top cop’s car and arrested.

Ramoon, who appeared in court in the wheelchair with one leg still in a cast, is also reportedly suffering from other health and medical problems as a result of being hit and then run over by the commissioner, which his family fear is not being properly addressed since he was remanded in custody to the prison. Speaking to CNS recently, the family said it took emergency personnel some two hours to cut Ramoon from under the commissioner’s vehicle and so far they have been given no details about the progress of the investigation into what happened that day.

Ramoon fired his attorney Friday and was advised by the judge to seek new representation as quickly as possible so the lawyer could be present at the next appearance, when the men are expected to answer the charges against them.

Ramoon, Myles and McLean are accused of robbing Diamond’s International early in the morning of New Year’s Day at gun point and making off with hundreds of thousands of dollars of jewellery.

In a bizarre coincidence, as the robbers fled from the store and entered a getaway vehicle, the police commissioner, who was off duty, happened to be right in the area and spotted the men. He proceeded to crash his vehicle into the robbers’ getaway vehicle and when the robbers bailed and fled on foot, Baines continued after the men in his car, eventually cornering two of them against a fence and running over Ramoon, causing a number of serious injuries.

Despite questions about the level of force used, Baines was not suspended from duty and although the RCIPS said that it was conducting an internal investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident, no details about that have been released.