A “desperate man” who robbed security guards of $56,518 in public funds has been jailed for three years.Tashon Bean, 22, of School Lane, Pembroke, told the Supreme Court that he had panicked and made a poor choice on November 12, when he and an unidentified accomplice took the money bag off a security guard outside the Transport Control Department.Standing before Puisne Judge Carlisle Greaves, Bean said: “I’m not trying to justify it, but with a child on the way, and my not being successful with finding work, plus an eviction notice on November 1 that said we would have to move out by the end of the month, I panicked. Please give me a chance so I can be out for my first born’s first breath.”Bean pleaded guilty to robbery at the beginning of his trial.The two security guards, Gary Wilson and Webster Williams, were set upon in the TCD parking lot shortly after 4.30pm by two men. Bean, wearing dark clothing, a scarf and a helmet, snatched the bag and attempted to escape in the adjacent marsh. Bean was caught by the security guards on North Street, and the bag recovered, while his accomplice escaped.The bag contained $17,000 in cash, with the rest in Government cheques.Defended by lawyer Craig Attridge, Bean disputed allegations that he was a member of the Parkside gang, and also said he had not been the one to strike Mr Wilson in the head during the robbery.Crown counsel Cindy Clarke called for a term of imprisonment of four to eight years. Mr Attridge asked for two to three years, with some time suspended, to allow Bean to “walk the walk” and provide for his family.Mr Greaves said: “The robbery of a public servant and public funds in broad daylight is a serious offence.” He noted that Bean had been unemployed, living with a pregnant girlfriend and facing impending eviction, but added: “I’m not persuaded that these factors are such that you should have a suspension of any part of this sentence.”Pointing out that other unemployed young men might turn to robbery if Bean were treated lightly, he added: “I do not think it is without merit to say that a suspended sentence could be to trifle with the floodgates.”Mr Greaves imposed three years’ imprisonment, with Bean’s six months already in custody to be taken into account.Bean’s jail term will be followed by three years’ probation, with a sentence of two more years to be activated if he fails to comply with terms including abstention from drugs and alcohol. As a further condition, Mr Greaves added: “You must not associate with the Parkside gang and its members, or with any other gangs in Bermuda.”