The Tribune

By LAMECH JOHNSON

Tribune Staff Reporter

ljohnson@tribunemedia.net

THE Crown withdrew its appeal yesterday against a 24-month sentence a judge imposed on a man for an attempted carjacking.

Vernal Collie appeared for the Office of The Attorney General in its appeal of the decision of Senior Justice Stephen Isaacs to sentence 23-year-old Kirby Jean Pierre to 24 months in prison for the April 28, 2015 attempted armed robbery of Paulette Knowles.

However, Mr Collie indicated that the Crown wished to withdraw its challenge to the sentence that was handed down last year.

As a result, the application was formally dismissed by the Court of Appeal and the 24-month sentence affirmed.

Last September, Pierre had appeared before Senior Justice Isaacs for a bail hearing as he sought to be released from custody ahead of his fixed January 2017 trial.

However, after an objection by prosecutor Kendra Kelly on the basis that the accused had been allegedly caught red-handed and pinned down by a relative of the victim until police arrived and arrested him, Pierre opted to change his plea and forgo a trial.

Notwithstanding his early plea of guilt, Ms Kelly recommended a sentence of 10 years to 15 years given that Pierre had a prior conviction for stealing. Pierre, when asked if he had anything to say before the sentence was passed on him, asked the court for mercy and said he had a four-year-old daughter to support.

The judge imposed a two-year sentence and further deducted the four months Pierre had spent on remand at the Department of Correctional Services.