Armed mugger jailed for over four years
(CNS): A George Town man who mugged two men in one night, taking valuable jewellery at gunpoint to pay off a drug dealer, was jailed Friday for four years and one month. Charles Leonard Walton III (25) robbed both of his victims in the early hours of 29 March on Eastern Avenue just after they had left Bananas Bar in the centre of the capital.
Walton hit his first victim over the head from behind, knocking him to the ground and threatening him before he ripped the chain from his neck and fled in a red car.
Just a few minutes later, Walton approached his second victim, who was walking towards his motorcycle. Hearing a noise behind him, he turned around to be confronted by Walton, who put the barrel of the gun up to his forehead and demanded his jewellery.
After taking the man’s chain and pendent, he asked his victim why he had looked at him “ugly” in the bar, making it clear that he had also been at Bananas earlier on. He then fled in the same red car.
Both victims went back to the bar and told the staff what had happened. The police were called, and the victims were able to pick out Walton from the CCTV. One of them later identified him in a lineup after he was arrested.
Walton’s first victim, who was 63 years old, was injured during the robbery and was in pain for some time afterwards. He lost jewellery valued at around CI$1,200 and, according to a report given to the court, he has suffered real anxiety since the incident, especially about going out at night.
The second man, who was 24 years old, was also traumatized. He said in his victim impact report that he knew that the gun that had been pointed at his forehead was real, and that “nothing can prepare you for the fear when you have a gun pointed at you”. After the robber cocked the weapon, he genuinely believed he was going to pull the trigger, he said. He lost jewellery valued at around $3,300.
Since the gun was never recovered, Walton was charged with possession of an imitation gun with intent to commit the robberies.
Walton pleaded guilty to the charges and has been on remand since. The court heard that he has a long rap sheet and has had a troubled life, having been abandoned as a very small child by both parents.
As a teenager, he was diagnosed with mental health problems and was placed on medication. However, having spent much of his time in care, he was not able to afford the required prescribed drugs and inevitably ended up self-medicating with alcohol and street drugs.
However, the court heard that last year Walton had managed to turn his life around. He had secured a job with the government after volunteering to clean up after Tropical Storm Grace, which led to a full-time job.
But just when he thought he had got his first real break in life, he was falsely accused of an assault. Even after he was acquitted of all charges, he didn’t get his job back and things spiralled downward for him, leading to homelessness and more drug abuse.
He told the police that he had given the stolen goods to a drug dealer he owed money to.
But since being on remand, he has been clean and is now working at the prison and trying to pull himself back together. A report by the probation service found that he had shown genuine remorse and described him as having some good personal qualities.
Justice Cheryll Richards, who presided over the case, urged him to turn his life around and take advantage of all the help he was offered while in prison.
- Fascinated
- Happy
- Sad
- Angry
- Bored
- Afraid
You wouldn’t walk around the streets of Kingston with $3000 worth of jewellery around your neck and expect to be un-molested, so why frequent a dodgy bar and walk around Jamaica town with that bling ?
It is not right to rob another person.
If you should know some victims know their assailants.
Almost always does the assailant target their victims.
What makes them a target? We know some things already.
When you read the article, the accused
assailant said, “Why did you look at me in the bar
that way.” The real cause for this hit was peer-pressure.
One patron is in the barroom for whatever reason
wearing expensive accessories. What made this victim
the target? He was robbed of some vain thing.
“The life of this person is worth more than some
vain things like jewelry.”
The bar is a vulnerable place and thieves will
target the intoxicated person when they suspect
you are part of the same crew riding the same ship.
Get off that particular ship and you
might have a chance. But nowadays some are ruthless,
they will run into your house. The chances of that
happening is low and the terror of them being caught is higher.
“Two sins do not make a right.”
I take no sides. I am not a lawyer or in any position to
offer legal advice to the persons involved in this case.
However, I recommend the person targeted undergo a
trauma-test assessment and the assailant use this sentence
to cut ties with the works of the gangsters not sitting in prison.
For those who don’t know anything about MENTAL HEALTH issues, and how you can be in an ill state whereby you unconsciously do others harm: ITS SO EASY TO ASSUME THE SICK MINDED PERSON IS FULLY RESPONSIBLE FOR HIS ACTIONS.
10 years for the gun and another 7 for the robbery and trauma inflicted on his victims.
What a pathetic state of affairs. Who was the magistrate? Can the Crown appeal for a stronger sentence?
Too easy on criminals, that feeding crime in Cayman.It seems no one really,really cares. Need Singapore laws here to stop all this crime.
Let us not let him rot in jail. He can be rehabilitated.
Not excusing Walton’s criminal behaviour but what else can be expected with some of the “parenting” which exists here?
Women and men simply breeding for pleasure and have no knowledge or intent on how to be a good parent. Thus breeding and releasing people like Walton into our society.
Note I didn’t say “mothers and fathers”.
That’s the root of our social problems – poor or NO parenting!!
What a ridiculous sentence for such a serious crime? What exactly was the Judge’s reasoning here? A mere slap on the wrist for the trauma he caused his victims and by extension our society!
Could the Probation Service enlighten us as to exactly what his “good personal qualities” are. Are they referring to putting a gun to an innocent man’s head, cocking the trigger, but not pulling it?.
Why all these weak sentences???
It’s no wonder there’s so much crime lately in Cayman. Weak sentences if they can even get prosecutions. SMH
Shiddy Judges???????? Yeah, that’s it!
4 years for not only holding a gun to someone’s forehead but cocking it!?!? That is why this madness will not stop.
Only 4 years and they give persons for a drugs 15 +. What’s really wrong with this country! I’m really sad for our Cayman Islands future for sure
What’s really wrong with this country? Only a deaf and blind person would not say, “Our leadership!!!” Look at the so called “leadership” we’ve had for the last 30 years!
Did Walton disclose who the drug dealer was? Did the drug dealer get arrested? Or did the officers neglect this part of their job…?
Did he turn in the gun? No. Therefore should be 10 years.
minimum
He is one Caymanian that has his face smeared over the news.I personally believe he can make a turn-around with the right advice in lock-up.
With these sentences, he will be 30 or so. I am sure some can develop professional skills in prison. Now, if he decides to shape up for the better, then he needs a good journalist and lawyer to publicize his absolute change. Ya’ll Caymanian men get it together soon or you might not have any inheritance in the land when you come back.
God bless your comment on the real, at least you looking on the positive side of things for him which is well needed in these times on this island for many. You may never know but he could stubble on the this article onto this exact comment and have a change of heart!
The court is out of touch. 4 years. The maximum for robbery is life. He should have gotten at least 20 years. He will serve 2.5 years and be out.he did 2 so he should serve 40years. The court offers no protection to victims and witnesses.
MPs need to make it mandatory if you use force to commit a crime. (In one robbery he used a gun) it should be mandatory minimum of 20years. The judges are not doing their job. Do not give them a choice.
Real or imitation the jail time should be the same as it causes much trauma to the victim to be robbed at gun point.
It is meant to be the same. And its meant to be a 7 year minimum. God only knows how the judge got to 4.
I feel sorry for the victims not the sad story of the perp.
Thug. Send him back where he came from. Oh wait…
Four years and out in two. Stuck a gun to the heads of two people and robbed them. Should be much longer. This kind of sentence does next to nothing for public safety.
YUP and we all know how quickly 2 years goes by.
how sad to just have a child and not care for it with all your heart. these parents need jailed too.
A common theme for many, many of these young men who turn to crime… no father (or father figure) in their life.
It’s sad.
Men, take care of your children! Be there for them. Don’t just be a sperm donor!
I really do hope Mr. Walton turns his life around.
Hehas the strength to get out of bed and mug? Charles Walton eye eye eye?
It runs in the family I’m afraid.