Aaron McLaughlin (21) received his sentencing on Tuesday (3) by Justice Charles Quin after pleading guilty to robbing the Cashwiz pawn shop in Bodden Town.

McLaughlin received four years for the robbery and three years for possession of an imitation firearm to run concurrently. He also received a further six months, to run consecutively, for threatening a police officer with the fake gun.

McLaughlin had stolen over $600 and a gold ring from the pawn shop and after running away to escape apprehension from police officers had threatened to shoot them after they had cornered him.

The judge said he believed a drug debt had led the young man, who was of previous good character and had once been a top student, to commit the crime.

“I will shoot you! I will shoot you!” he yelled at them. Justice Quin commended the two officers for their bravery as the officers were unarmed and did not know the weapon was fake.

McLaughlin had begun using ganja and cocaine just before he committed the robbery, which was his first offence.

It was his drug misuse and his association with criminals that saw McLaughlin fall victim to these people over a drug debt the Judge said, as an unknown gunman had shot him (McLaughlin) in the arm just before he committed the crime.

The Judge encouraged McLaughlin to use his time at HMP Northward to continue his education and try and complete his degree, as the defendant was still young and could still return to a productive life. He had shown potential when he was at school and if he stayed away from drugs and the criminals with whom he had begun associating he could achieve this.

Justice Quin ordered the time McLaughlin had already spent in prison, approximately 18 months, to be taken into account.

See also iNews Cayman story published November 20 2013 “The strange case of a student robber” at: http://www.ieyenews.com/wordpress/the-strange-case-of-a-student-robber/