Bank Robbers will Learn their Fate n Court  

In July 2020, a group of men pulled off a daring daylight robbery at the Scotia Bank Belama Branch. They managed to escape with $34,572.33 in cash and cheques, but their getaway was cut short after a shootout with police, leading to the capture of four men linked to the heist. At the end of their trial, the men faced charges of robbery, two counts of aggravated assault on PC Robert Sutherland and PC Robert Parchue, possession of firearms and ammunition, and damage to property. However, they were acquitted of most charges, except for George Meighan, who was found not guilty of damage to property. The men were also acquitted of one count of aggravated assault on PC Robert Parchue, who never testified. The five men initially involved in the heist were Jason McKenzie, then 28; Leon Westby, then 24; George Meighan, then 17, now 22; Anthony Barrow, then 29; and the deceased Gasman Young, who was shot and later succumbed to his injuries. Last Friday, the men were found guilty of three charges, but their sentencing was delayed as the court awaited a Social Inquiry Report (SIR) for Meighan, who was only 17 at the time of the robbery. During the trial, only Westby had legal representation from attorney Ronell Gonzalez, while Meighan and McKenzie were unrepresented. Gonzalez requested a suspended sentence for Westby, highlighting that he is a first-time offender and a new father. Westby’s aunt, Lorraine Elaine Thurton, also spoke on his behalf, asking for leniency. McKenzie, who is awaiting a sentence for murder, asked the court to consider his role as a facilitator and teacher in prison. Meighan, a first-time offender and father of a 3-year-old, pleaded for leniency, citing his young age at the time of the crime and his role as the sole provider for his son. During the trial, PC Robert Sutherland, the only police witness, identified Meighan and Barrow but confused McKenzie and Westby. The families of the convicted men plan to appeal the conviction. In their defense, the men claimed they were at the scene in a boat but couldn’t explain why. Meighan’s father stated that his son was sent to the Seashore area for a fishing trip with Young and Barrow, who never showed up for the trial. Barrow is believed to have fled to the United States.