A Warwick man who failed to show up for Bermuda Regiment duty on seven occasions was sentenced to six months in jail in the Supreme Court last week by Chief Justice Richard Ground.

Andre Richardson, 23, of Smith Avenue, Warwick, was charged with failing to appear at the Regiment seven times between November 14 and January 20.

“You simply cannot avoid mandatory Regiment service by not showing up,” said Mr. Ground.

“Mr. Richardson, you impress me as a man who can do a great deal with his life, but if you fail to attend I will have to sentence you for three months for every time you fail to attend,” he added.

Thief vows to appeal his sentence again

A man convicted of breaking into a mosque twice was sentenced to 30 months in jail at an appeals session of the Supreme Court last week.

Maurice Burrows, 39, was charged with breaking into the Masjid Muhammed Muslim Community Centre on two separate occasions between January 23 and 24, 2002, and again between February 1 and 2. He appeared in Supreme Court on December, 2003, eight months after he was first remanded for the crimes. Burrows pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Crown counsel Wayne Caines recommended an immediate custodial sentence for Burrows and mental health treatment at Westgate.

Burrows was initially convicted of the robbery based solely on the fact that his fingerprints were found at the mosque. He said he prayed at the mosque and there was no evidence as to when those fingerprints were made.

Burrows told Assistant Justice Philip Storr he was innocent and that fingerprint evidence was not reliable. Mr. Justice Storr sentenced Burrows to 30 months in prison, 15 months for each robbery, and reminded him to take his medication.

Burrows told the court that he would be appealing the sentence again. Burrows has been going back and forth from St. Brendan's for almost 20 years for treatment for schizophrenia.

Sentencing delayed due to missing reports

A sentencing was not allowed to proceed on Monday because St. Brendan's Hospital said they do not do psychological reports.

Lawyer Darrel Clarke said he was ready to proceed to sentencing if he could get a hold of the psychological report, but had so far only received two reports, but had not received the final report on Fitzgerald Glen Williams.

Puisne Justice Charles Etta Simmons, in the interest of haste, ordered that the report be carried out in the private sector.

Williams, 35, who previously plead guilty to causing grievous bodily harm and being in possession of an offensive weapon, appeared in the Supreme Court yesterday expecting to be sentenced.

Puisne Judge Charles Etta Simmons said the cost for the report could be split between Court Services and Legal Aid.

She set the matter down for mention in the May arraignments session and said if the report was ready she would proceed with sentencing.

Warrant issued for accused sex offender

A bench warrant was issued for a 23-year-old man accused of sexually assaulting a minor after he failed to show up for his Supreme Court trial yesterday on Monday.

The man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, is accused of sexually assaulting a girl under the age of 14 on two occasions in 2002.

Defence lawyer Mark Pettingill said he was unable to locate his client before the case.

Assistant Justice Archibald Warner questioned why Mr. Pettingill had said he would be ready to go ahead with the case when he didn't have his client.

Mr. Pettingill said he had been “earnestly” trying to locate the man but his telephone numbers had changed and he could not be found at the places he was said to frequent.

Crown counsel Lloyd Rayney applied for a bench warrant to be issued for the man.