“All the boy had to do is come and ask for it,” said 20 year-old Jaye Noel when he appeared in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday September 5, 2014 on a charge of theft. Photo: VINO

The trial is expected to get underway on November 6, 2014, as set by Magistrate Ayana Baptiste-DaBreo after Noel pleaded not guilty to the charge. It was alleged that the Virtual Complainant on June 28, 2014 had a chain with a gold bracelet and gold watch attached to it around his neck in the Purcell Area.

The prosecution alleged that Noel approached the person, grabbed the items from him, pushed them into his pants pocket then attempted to push his hand into one of the VC’s pocket. The VC had an IPhone 5s in that pocket which it is believed Noel was going after.

The court also heard that in the midst of it all Noel allegedly told his victim that he was lucky that he hadn’t his gun on him and that he was going to his vehicle for it. The Defendant, Noel, then ran to his vehicle and left the scene.

A report was made to the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force (RVIPF) and at approximately 9:00 pm they responded. Then on July 9, 2014 officers of the RVIPF went to the home of Noel and he handed over the gold chain and bracelet to them. It was at that stage that he allegedly said, “All the boy had to do is come and ask for it.”

He was arrested on suspicion of theft. During police interview while in custody the accused refuted claims that he had stolen the jewellery and told the interviewing officers that he had retrieved the items from the ground in Purcell where the Virtual Complainant and another man were allegedly engaged in a fight. He was formally charged and under caution he allegedly said, “That gold band ain’t real.” He was subsequently placed on $5K station bail.

The Virtual Complainant when called in by police positively identified the two recovered items as being his.

Yesterday Noel was placed on $30K bail and is to return to court on November 6, 2014 for trial.