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Teenager jailed for two years over home invasion

A fifth man to admit his role in a violent home invasion was today jailed for two years.Collin Hendrickson, 19, broke into the Pembroke residence of Jahdean Gibbons last June, along with four others.Supreme Court heard during previous proceedings how members of the group bludgeoned Mr Gibbons with a glass bottle and stole $13,600 worth of items.The other four involved in the crime are already behind bars.Last December, Troy Burgess, then 21, Detre Ford, then 16, and Clarke Fox, then 17, were jailed for three years for burglary and five years for wounding.The trio admitted stealing $5,000 cash, a gold chain, a gold pendant, a gold and diamond earring, five bracelets, a laptop computer and two PlayStation computer games from the home on Curving Avenue.Mr Gibbons, who was aged 21 at the time, was beaten so badly he lost consciousness. He suffered two wounds to his head, which required stitches and staples.A 15-year-old boy from Pembroke, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, was given two years of probation for his involvement.Hendrickson was arrested on January 1. He originally faced charges of theft, conspiring to carry a firearm with criminal intent and wounding with intent to do grievous bodily harm.He maintained his innocence until October when he pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of wounding, which was accepted by the Crown. The other three men were also sentenced after they admitted to lesser charges than those originally laid against them.During Hendrickson's sentencing today, prosecutor Cindy Clarke said the victim recognised his attackers.She said all five men kicked and punched Mr Gibbons during the attack. He also had a knee put to his chest and was hit twice over the head with a Hennessy bottle.Ms Clarke said Hendrickson was aged 17 at the time of the attack, and was therefore a juvenile in the eyes of the law, meaning he is entitled to a lesser sentence.Hendrickson has been on remand in custody since his arrest at the Fairmont Hamilton Princess Hotel on New Year's Day.It has previously been reported that he was sentenced to nine months imprisonment for a charge of possession of cannabis with intent to supply stemming from the date of his arrest. He also has a previous conviction for affray.Defence lawyer Charles Richardson said Hendrickson accepts he committed a crime by being present during the home invasion.However, he denies being responsible for hitting Mr Gibbons with the bottle.Addressing the court, Hendrickson said: “I would just like to say that I take full responsibility for my actions. I send my deepest sincerest apologies to the victim.”He added that since being in prison: “I've found respect for myself to do what's right and I just hope that everybody here today could have an optimistic view for my future.”Meting out the two-year jail term, Puisne Judge Carlisle Greaves said the sentence reflected time Hendrickson has already served on remand, his young age, and other mitigating factors.Therefore, only half the sentence must be served immediately with the remainder suspended, unless he gets into trouble again within the next two years.“If you mess up, and you retur, I'm going to lock you up,” warned the judge.He also imposed two years of probation to commence after Hendrickson's release.