Man faces jail for vicious robbery

A 27-year-old man was today remanded into custody after he admitted taking part in a robbery.

Treadwell Smith was one of three men who robbed David Loving in the late hours of July 8. 

Mr Loving had finished work at Arnold’s Market and was walking to his apartment on Underhill Crescent, Pembroke when he saw a man sitting on a wall nearby. 

He began talking to the man and the pair ended up having a cigarette.

After they finished, Mr Loving and the man started walking in the direction of the Coalition for the Protection of Children.

Mr Loving then saw another man at the top of a set of steps nearby.

A third man, Smith, appeared and went to have a word with the man on the top of the steps. 

A short while later, Smith came behind Mr Loving and put him in a headlock while the other two men went through the victim’s pockets.

They took keys and cash.

The court heard Smith and the other two men then shoved Mr Loving towards his apartment and opened the door.

Once inside, they searched the home and stole more cash, a Blackberry cell phone valued at $900 and clothing.

As the men were leaving, they told Mr Loving to stay in the house and not to call the police or they would be back.

After they left, Mr Loving called his sister who then called the police.

Crown counsel Larissa Burgess told the court Smith was arrested on Saturday and was identified in a lineup by Mr Loving.

In a police interview, Smith admitted taking part in the robbery and said he was forced to do it.

He also claimed he went back to Mr Loving’s apartment to apologise for the robbery, but he wasn’t home.

Smith originally denied using force to rob Mr Loving of the items and breaking into his home.

A trial date was set for October 15 to join a second defendant.

Senior Magistrate Archibald Warner remanded Smith into custody until trial, but Smith changed his plea.

Addressing the court, Smith said: “The only thing I was accountable for taking are the clothes.

“The cell phone and the keys and searching through the pockets, that wasn’t me and I grabbed him around the neck.

“When I was interviewed, I gave police a statement and told them where they could get the clothes to give back to Mr Loving.”

Mr Warner ordered a social inquiry report and adjourned the matter to August 29 for sentencing. Smith was remanded into custody.