No bail for Munster Road cop

Barbara Gayle, Staff Reporter

The three civilians who pleaded guilty to illegal possession of firearm and ammunition stolen from a police armoury are to be sentenced on July 23 in the Gun Court.

At the same time, police sergeant Russell Robinson, the reported mastermind behind the theft, was denied bail when he appeared in court yesterday. His trial is to start on September 10.

Two of the civilians - Charles Morris and David Blagrove - worked as groundsmen at the police armoury at Elletson Road, east Kingston.

The other is businessman Garnett Pennington of Munster Road, Kingston 2.

Morris and Blagrove pleaded guilty on Monday to illegal possession of 18 firearms. The charges of illegal possession of 9,500 rounds of ammunition against the two men were withdrawn by the Crown after they changed their plea.

Pennington pleaded guilty to illegal possession of a firearm and 660 rounds of ammunition. The gun was found in Pennington's bedroom while the rounds of ammunition were found at his business place on Mountain View Avenue, Kingston 2.

The three civilians have indicated to the court that they intend to be witnesses for the Crown in the case against Sergeant Robinson.

Illegal possession of firearm

The policeman is facing trial for illegal possession of 18 firearms which were allegedly found in his motor car on Munster Road in February.

Attorney-at-law Bert Samuels made a bail application yesterday for Robinson, but Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Dirk Harrison opposed it.

Senior Pusine Judge Gloria Smith denied Robinson bail, saying that the allegations were very serious. The judge said from the allegations Robinson, as a policeman, was placed in a position of trust and he allegedly breached that trust.

Robinson is also charged with breaching the Corruption Prevention Act. He appeared in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court this week to answer that charge. A trial date of September 6 has been set for the hearing of that matter.

Robinson was nabbed by his colleagues at premises on Munster Road where 18 firearms and 10,000 rounds of ammunition which were stolen from the police armoury were found.

The policeman is alleged to have asked the police party which was apprehending him to free him and allow him to run off.

Pennington has pleaded guilty to a similar corruption charge and has been slapped with a 12-month suspended sentence.