A 20-year-old man was sentenced to two years in prison yesterday after he admitted to taking part in a chain snatching that ended in a road accident.

Jerome Bailey told Magistrates’ Court that the act was a “mistake” that he regretted making.

He added: “I’m just asking for a second chance.”

The court heard that Bailey and another accomplice targeted Tre Simons during an incident that occurred on September 23 of last year.

Crown prosecutor Nicole Smith said that Mr Simons was riding through Middle Road in Paget when Bailey rode next to him on a motorcycle.

His accomplice, a passenger on Bailey’s bike, then snatched Mr Simons’s $2,400 gold chain and pendant from the back of his neck.

The force of the action caused the victim to swerve into oncoming traffic, which stopped before striking Mr Simons, and eventually sliding out.

Magistrate Tyrone Chin heard that Mr Simons sustained injuries to his arms, hands and elbows as a result.

Mr Chin also heard that Bailey was fixed with an electronic monitoring device during the time of the incident, which allowed police to place him at the scene of the robbery.

Bailey was later arrested on September 29 at his Devonshire home on suspicion of robbery. Ms Smith said that the incident was an escalation of antisocial behaviour, explaining that he committed the offence 41 days after being released from prison for wounding.

She added that imprisonment would be necessary to “assure people in this community that there will be no tolerance for these types of offences”.

However, defence lawyer Kamal Worrell said that his client should be recognised for taking responsibility for his actions and attempting to change.

Mr Worrell explained: “This is a person who, outside of peer pressure and society’s limitations, is someone who’s bound to flourish.”

He added: “This was a stupid mistake that he made because of peer pressure.

“It was not a plan he tried to mastermind; he was just the driver.”

Mr Chin sentenced Bailey to two years in prison, with an additional two years of probation after his release.

Tyree Greene, 21, who appeared alongside Bailey, denied charges of taking part in the robbery with Bailey.

Greene will reappear in Magistrates’ Court next Wednesday.

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