dollars of taxpayers' money -- and court time -- over the sentencing of confessed sex offender and armed robber Anthony Ricardo Richardson.

Crown counsel Khamisi Tokunbo made the charge after Mr. Warner -- having had the sentencing of his client delayed twice due to objections to the prosecution's summary of evidence -- yesterday accepted the Crown's version of the case.

The about face came on the opening day of Richardson's Supreme Court sentencing. The 23-year-old unemployed Pembroke resident pleaded guilty on November 2 to eight charges, including serious sexual assault and armed robbery stemming from his August 12, 1996, attack on Nova Scotia Senator Donald Oliver and his two Ottawa, Ontario, guests.

Since that time, Richardson's sentencing has been set back twice at the request of Mr. Warner, who posted notice he would be challenging some aspects of the evidence.

Yesterday, lawyer Elizabeth Christopher -- holding for Mr. Warner who is involved with the Caines murder trial -- told Chief Justice Austin Ward that Mr. Warner was now prepared to accept the Crown's original summary of evidence. She was also granted a one-day delay for sentencing and mitigation.

The Crown meanwhile -- prepared for a Newton hearing on the facts -- had flown in Sen. Oliver and his two companions to testify, at a total cost to the Bermuda taxpayer of $6,238.88.

"I hadn't a clue this was coming,'' Mr. Tokunbo told The Royal Gazette after the hearing. "If I had known this was going to happen I wouldn't have brought these people down.'' Relegated to spectator status, Sen. Oliver and his two companions sat impassively in the back of Supreme Court One as Mr. Tokunbo read out the Crown's summary of evidence.

Court was told the trio's 90-minute ordeal began at approximately 11.50 a.m.

on August 12 when they surprised Richardson, who had just broken into the Middle Road, Southampton, home of Sen. Oliver's wife, Telco executive Linda Oliver.

"I was hungry, homeless, and broke,'' Richardson later confessed to Police.

He told investigators he was searching through some drawers when he heard a noise outside.

"I went to take a look outside and when I looked (outside) I saw a car pulling up in the yard. That's when I started to get scared and panicked ... I couldn't get out.'' Brandishing a 12-inch knife -- at times holding it to the woman's throat -- Richardson first robbed the group and then forced the woman to tie up her two male companions with strips of cut up bed sheets.

Richardson then forced the woman to go to another bedroom, where she was sexually assaulted at knife-point. She was subsequently returned to the group and tied up as well.

"Once finished'' said Mr. Tokunbo, "he (Richardson) asked asked her if she was going to tell anyone and said he did not want her to tell because he would get more time in prison for rape.'' During the ordeal added Mr. Tokunbo, "the man talked consistently about a variety of matters and threatened to kill the complainants. He also used the knife to cut the telephone wires and appeared frustrated and uncertain about what to do with the complainants since they had all seen him and he could be recognised.'' At one point in the ordeal, said Mr. Tokunbo, Richardson became alarmed when he discovered one of his victims was a Canadian Senator who was carrying a large sum of money.

Undaunted however, he eventually made off with clothing and jewellery valued at well over $3,000 as well as a large quantity of Canadian, American, and Bermudian currency.

"The last couple of things I said (to the complainants) was it wasn't personal and I didn't know you people were coming home. I told them the money and jewellery you people could always get more of, but I needed it more,'' Richardson later told Police.

After leaving the residence Richardson told Police he caught a taxi to South Road, Warwick, where he discarded the knife and burned the clothing he had been wearing, throwing them and the jewellery in the water near the Waterlot Inn. Neither the currency nor the jewellery has ever been recovered, said Mr.

Tokunbo.

Richardson was arrested three days later and under caution admitted his crimes to Police. He faces a maximum 30 year prison term for the sexual assault and 14 years for each count of armed robbery.

Mr. Warner is expected to speak for his client this morning. Richardson's sentencing will follow.

LEAVING COURT -- Canadian Senator Don Oliver