were sentenced to four and two years imprisonment in Supreme Court yesterday.

Damon Ray Burgess, 18, of St. John's Road, Pembroke, and Philip Dwayne Doars, 22, of Tamarind Vale, Warwick, had already pleaded guilty to the offence.

Doars also pleaded guilty to demanding money with menaces from William Pearman at Belvin's Grocery on Middle Road, Devonshire, on October 18.

Crown counsel Mr. Brian Calhoun told the court that Burgess and Doars attacked and robbed Gareth Gauntlett last August 18 as he left the Rosebank branch of the Bank of Butterfield.

He said Doars attacked Gauntlett from behind, grabbing him around the throat and demanding money. As Gauntlett began to scream, Doars told Burgess to get his knife from a nearby wall.

While Burgess was retrieving the knife, Gauntlett pulled $300 from his pocket, threw it to the ground and told his assailants to take it.

Burgess then handed Doars the knife and began to punch and kick Gauntlett in the face, causing him to bleed from the nose and mouth. The victim also suffered cuts to his forehead.

Both men then picked up the money and fled. Mr. Calhoun said they divided it equally and used it to purchase drugs.

When arrested five days later, the two men admitted their roles in the offence.

Mr. Calhoun also told the court that on October 18, 1993, around 9 p.m., Doars walked into Belvin's Grocery store on Middle Road. After lingering there for a short time, he placed one hand behind his back and approached the proprietor, William Pearman, and demanded money.

Pearman activated a loud alarm system which had been installed after earlier robberies. When the alarm sounded, Doars ran from the store and sped off on a motorcycle that was parked close by.

He was arrested two days later after a foot chase by Police.

Mr. Calhoun said the Crown's position regarding sentence was that attention should be paid to the fact that the offence was committed to obtain money for drugs and that violence was used.

"There is clearly an increase in violent crimes,'' Mr. Calhoun said. "The community looks to this court, within its limits, for protection from this ongoing wave of violence.'' Doars' lawyer, Mr. Delroy Duncan, urged the court to look at the offence in perspective. Addressing the menaces charge, Mr. Duncan said he could not minimise the effect on the victim but stressed no injury was caused.

"He acted alone with no disguise,'' Mr. Duncan added. "He came in and made his bold demand.'' Mr. Duncan said his client had showed genuine remorse and cooperated with Police.

On the more serious charge of armed robbery, Mr. Duncan pointed out that though a knife was involved it was never used or intended to be used.

Burgess' lawyer, Mr. Tim Marshall, asked the court to consider his client's difficult family circumstances, coupled with his youth and guilty plea.

He said Burgess was easily influenced and that he had no previous record for violence.

"A possible sentence of community service with proper supervision will prove better for our community than locking him up,'' Mr. Marshall said. "At the end of the day if you believe the only way to deal with him is by incarceration, then an appropriate sentence would be two years.'' Doars asked Chief Justice the Hon. Mr. Justice Ward for leniency.

"I understand that you have a job to do as far as imposing a sentence on me,'' he said. "But I'm asking you to be as lenient as possible because I do have a future and I'm extremely sorry for my actions.'' Burgess apologised to his family and the victim and begged for one more chance to set his life straight.

Mr. Justice Ward thanked both defence counsels and said he took all the mitigating factors into consideration.

He then sentenced Doars to four years in prison for the armed robbery offence and one year for demanding money with menaces. The sentences are to run concurrently. Burgess was sentenced to two years in prison.