The Tribune

By LAMECH JOHNSON

Tribune Staff Reporter

ljohnson@tribunemedia.net

FEBRUARY 2014 is when two men convicted of conspiring to rob a John Bull retail store will go before the Appeal Court to challenge their conviction and sentence.

Yesterday in the Claughton House Charlotte Street, courtroom, the lawyers for Jonathan Armbrister and David Collins were informed of the date by appellate courts Justices Anita Allen, Abdulai Conteh and Neville Adderley, who granted the request for the appeals of the two to be heard together.

Collins, 34, of Cowpen Road, had appeared in the court yesterday with his lawyer Geoffrey Farquharson, but absent from the proceedings was Armbrister, 36, of Elizabeth Estates.

Armbrister’s lawyer, Jerone Roberts, appeared at the proceedings and asked for the court to allow his client’s appeal to be heard with Collin’s appeal, as they were both charged and tried together in the same case.

Mr Farquharson did not object to the request, and after reviewing Armbrister’s file to verify that his appeal was still live before the courts, the judges granted the request.

Justice Allen noted that the matter would have to be adjourned because the trial transcripts were outstanding from the file, but had been requested by the court.

On October 31, 2012, a nine-member jury delivered verdicts on charges of conspiracy to commit armed robbery, armed robbery, and other charges related to the May 2011 jewellery theft.

Both Armbrister and Collins were found guilty of conspiracy to commit armed robbery.

Jurors found Armbrister guilty by a count of 7-2, while they were split 6-3 on Collins.

Both men were found not guilty of armed robbery while Collins was also found guilty of causing damage and receiving.

Armbrister and Collins were sentenced to 25 and 20 years respectively at Her Majesty’s Prison, however both have applied to challenge their conviction and sentence.

In March 2014, the two are scheduled to be retried with Collins facing a charge of armed robbery and receiving and Armbrister with receiving.