Police probe two Sunday-night robberies

Two men were held at gunpoint in two separate robberies this weekend in less than an hour — and less than a mile apart.

The first man, a 30-year-old taxi driver from Sandys, was in the Cedar Park Road, Devonshire area to pick up a fare on Sunday.

At around 11.40 pm the driver was flagged down by a dark skinned, heavy-set woman, but once the driver stopped, two men approached the cab, one holding what is believed to be a firearm.

The men ordered the driver to get out of the car and empty his pockets, before escaping with the driver's cash.

The woman was described as between 18 and 25 years old and 5ft 9in, with short hair and a green sweat jacket.

The two men are described as dark skinned and skinny, between 17 and 25 years old, and were wearing dark clothes at the time.

One of the men is around 5ft 6in, while the other is around 5ft 7in. A 19-year-old was arrested in connection to the robbery, and was later released on Police bail.

Only 35 minutes after the first robbery, three men held a 31-year-old Devonshire man at gunpoint.

At around 12.15 am on Monday, the men approached the victim while he was using his cell phone outside his North Shore Road home.

The men, one of whom held a firearm, took the victims Blackberry before escaping south on Tribe Lane.

One of the three men was wearing a light or white jacket, while the second wore a dark coloured T-shirt. The third man was described as wearing a dark, leather-type jacket. All three men were described as slim.

No one was injured in either of the robberies.

A police spokesman said that they have not ruled out the possibility that the two crimes are connected, saying: "As usual, we are following all lines of inquiry.

"We're not ruling out anything."

Crown drops GBH charges against Southampton man

Prosecutors filed an application to discontinue proceedings against a man whose trial for causing grievous bodily harm with intent was due to begin yesterday.

Herbert Dillas, 36, of Southampton, was alleged by prosecutors to have attacked Terry Robinson on November 2, 2009.

Yesterday, prosecutor Takiyah Burgess filed a nolle prosequi, which is an application to discontinue criminal charges. She did not give any reason for doing so.

Puisne Judge Carlisle Greaves granted the application and told Mr. Dillas: "You are free to go, but they (prosecutors) can always come back for you."

Dillas had been on bail since he first answered the charges at Supreme Court in February, and pleaded not guilty. Prosecutors did not outline the allegations against him either at that time or yesterday.

Defence lawyer Larry Mussenden complained he would have liked to have enjoyed Bermuda Day, but instead: "I spent the weekend inside working on this case."

He said he would have liked more notice of the Crown's intention not to proceed with a trial, and asked the Judge to point that out.

However, noting that defence lawyers sometimes get their clients to plead guilty on the morning a trial is due to begin, the judge remarked: "I would love to tell the Crown that, but I hate to beat on one side when I can't beat on the other side."