By Latrishka Thomas
A man has been sentenced for unlawful wounding, and assault with intent to rob, relating to two separate incidents.
Anthony Cornelius admitted both crimes, the first of which occurred in 2016 and the other two years later.
Yesterday, Justice Iain Morley sentenced him to 36 months for assault with intent to rob, and 28 months for unlawful wounding.
The sentences will run concurrently.
According to the evidence presented, on the night of September 15 2016, a 53-year-old man was socialising with his friends and playing dominoes when Cornelius, who was 21 years old at the time, stabbed him and then ran off.
The victim received multiple stab wounds including to his abdomen, shoulder and thigh.
The defendant initially claimed that the complainant was drunk and had approached him in a hostile manner – a story which was contradicted by two eyewitnesses.
However, two years later, in October 2018, he pleaded guilty to that offence.
Meanwhile, two months before he admitted to wounding the man, Cornelius was charged with assault with intent to rob.
The facts of the case were that the convict, then 23, was masked and armed with an object concealed in a black cloth when he entered the Food Club on Rowan Henry Street in Villa, and demanded money.
He attempted to strike the storeowner who was behind the counter at the time, culminating in a struggle.
The owner was able to disarm Cornelius and wrestled him to the ground, during which time his mask came off.
With the help of an officer who lived nearby, they were able to subdue and identify the defendant.
The fight resulted in the 56-year-old businessman suffering soft tissue trauma to his right hand.
The object recovered by officers was actually a hammer in a black sock.
They also found black gloves and a black knitted cap, with holes cut out, on the scene.
Cornelius’ bicycle was also found about 150 yards from the superette.
He was later charged and he pleaded guilty to this offence just last week.
Although Cornelius received two separate sentences, they were ordered to run concurrently, meaning that they will be served at the same time. Therefore he will be incarcerated for the longest period – 36 months — at Her Majesty’s Prison.