An inmate of Westgate was found guilty in Supreme Court yesterday of aggravated robbery and possession of an offensive weapon.

Gladstone Leon Moore, 40, formerly of Controversy Lane, Pembroke, now an inmate of Westgate, was sentenced to eight years imprisonment for using a knife to rob John Jones, of Euclid Avenue, Pembroke, of more than $8,000 worth of jewellery on December 19.

The jury deliberated for about 40 minutes before returning the unanimous guilty verdict.

Mr. Jones testified that Moore approached him near the roundabout on Woodlands Road and asked him to lend him money as a favour so that he could fix his girlfriend's car.

When Mr. Jones replied that he had no money, he said, Moore grabbed him by the chains around his neck.

Mr. Jones said at one point he managed to throw a punch which knocked Moore off the sidewalk onto the ground and in the fall Mr. Jones' chains broke.

Then Moore came at him with a knife, Mr. Jones said. When Mr. Jones backed off, Moore left the scene with Mr. Jones' jewellery in hand.

Moore told the court from the stand that he was walking toward Woodlands Road on the night in question when he noticed Mr. Jones, whom he had known for about two years.

"I walked across the street to him. I said 'you remember me? Where's my money?' " Moore said. He confirmed that he meant the money from a business transaction that allegedly took place between himself and Mr. Jones two years earlier.

"He looked like he was getting ready to run so I snatched him by his shirt," explained Moore to the six men, six women jury. "I was asking where's my money and Snake (a neighbour) came outta his house and asked us not to do this in front of his house."

The pair then, according to Moore, turned and began walking down Woodlands Road when Mr. Jones grabbed Moore by his wrist. Moore still had him by the shirt. "He punched me to the face and knocked me to the ground," Moore claimed.

"I was on my knees and I looked up and saw him kicking his shoes off saying come on," he continued, dancing around in the witness box for the benefit of the jury.

It was at that point that he spotted his knife lying on the ground about two feet away, he said. "I picked it up and I had it like this (in front of me) so he could see it. He was coming to attack me so I let him see it and when he saw it he backed off.

"I was protecting myself," Moore claimed. "I turned around and walked away, I didn't look back." He denied taking Mr. Jones' gold chains, as well as calling Mr. Jones a liar and threatening to cut him.

On cross-examination, Crown counsel Juan Wolffe attempted to trap Moore with some inconsistencies in his evidence.

Moore denied suggestions that when he grabbed Mr. Jones by his shirt, he was exhibiting violent and aggressive behaviour.

He attempted to demonstrate for the court exactly how he was speaking to Mr. Jones during the incident, asking Mr. Wolffe if the tone of voice he was using made him feel threatened.

"I feel quite threatened," Mr. Wolffe responded, though defence lawyer Larry Mussenden objected, pointing out: "Counsel feels threatened when I stand up - how counsel feels is irrelevant."

In closing, Mr. Mussenden noted that the Crown had several times asked about possibilities, adding to the jury: "If Crown counsel is worried about possibilities, then it ain't good enough."