The trial of two men charged with an armed robbery which left their partner-in-crime with a gunshot wound began yesterday in the Supreme Court.

Josef Smith, 26, from Devonshire, and Umdae Woolridge, 25, from St David’s, have both denied charges of aggravated burglary, using a firearm to commit an indictable act, and discharging a firearm in the same incident.

Answering the charges, Mr Woolridge offered a guilty plea to simple burglary, telling the court: “I had no idea a firearm was going to be used in this offence.”

However, prosecutor Loxly Ricketts said the plea was not accepted by the Crown, who would continue to seek the more serious charge.

Opening the case, Mr Ricketts told the court that on March 14 last year, two men entered a North Shore Road home wielding a firearm, and robbed three young men who were inside.

“They held those young men at gunpoint and robbed them of their cellphones,” Mr Ricketts said. “While in that room the firearm was discharged. One of the two men was injured.”

He said that the Crown intended to prove that Mr Smith was the man who held the gun while another man, Taariq Clarke, was the person shot.

Mr Ricketts said that while Mr Wooldridge did not enter the home, he was involved in the robbery, telling the jury that both he and Mr Smith had been at the house earlier to speak to the resident about a money issue.

“Mr Woolridge didn’t enter the house,” Mr Ricketts said. “He arranged for Mr Clarke and Mr Smith to go in the house. He stood outside and, in fact, it was Mr Wooldridge who transported Mr Clarke from that location to King Edward VII Memorial Hospital.

“When Police came, Mr Woolridge had already left.”

The trial continues.