Man denies stealing BlackBerry phone

WESTERN BUREAU:A Mount Salem, Montego Bay, builder who allegedly robbed a woman of her BlackBerry smartphone and $9,000 at knifepoint will return to the Montego Bay Resident Magistrate's Court on October 11.

Phillip Hudson pleaded not guilty to robbery with aggravation and unlawful wounding against complainant Stacy-Ann Wint when he appeared in court on Tuesday.

Allegations are that on August 7, Hudson robbed Wint of her BlackBerry phone and $9,000, and inflicted a knife wound to her during the hold-up.

It is said that Hudson was later held with the phone, which was identified by the complainant, and admitted that he took the phone from her.

When the matter was mentioned on Tuesday, Hudson denied stealing the phone or harming Wint.

"Me don't rob this girl. When this happened, we had a dispute at the house, and she cut herself on a piece of zinc and said it was a knife that cut her. This is a girl who I pay her rent up at Cornwall Courts," Hudson told the court.

ANOTHER CHARGE

But the prosecution soon revealed that Hudson had a previous charge for receiving stolen property, which is currently still before the court. It was also noted that the stolen item in that case was also a BlackBerry phone.

"It looks like you have an unnatural attachment to BlackBerry phones because how come you're in trouble and is for BlackBerry again?" Resident Magistrate Sandria Wong-Small quipped.

"No, Your Honour, that time it was the circuit board, not the phone itself," answered Hudson.

The robbery with aggravation matter was set for mention on October 11, at which time the receiving stolen property case is to be mentioned as well.