months.

Eugene Levi Robinson, 27, of Bob's Valley Road, was sentenced in Supreme Court last Thursday by Chief Justice the Hon. Austin Ward.

Robinson, found guilty by a jury of common assault on P.c. Dean Stanford, has been in custody since February 27. That time will be deducted from his sentence.

Co-accused Kyle Baxter, who pleaded guilty to assault causing grievous bodily harm to P.c. Stanford and P.c. Pythagoras Santiago, has yet to be sentenced and is next to appear in Supreme Court on May 1.

The offences occurred on March 12, 1994 on Bob's Valley Road after P.c. Dean Stanford and P.c. Pythagoras Santiago saw Robinson pass five dollars to another man.

They arrested him on suspicion of drug trafficking. Robinson got into an altercation with the officers when they tried to search him. Others, including Baxter, later intervened and both officers were rendered unconscious.

At issue was whether Police had Robinson in their lawful custody. Mr.

Archibald Warner, Robinson's lawyer, told court on Thursday he plans to appeal the common assault conviction.

The Court is awaiting a social inquiry report on Baxter before he is sentenced. Baxter is represented by lawyer Mr. Ed Bailey.

Crown Counsel Mr. Philip Storr said it was not the first time Robinson had come into physical contact with Police, having been convicted in 1990 for resisting arrest, obstruction, and possession of a controlled drug.

It was due to Robinson's actions that Baxter faced more serious charges and the two officers were hurt, Mr. Storr said.

He noted the maximum sentence for common assault was 12 months.

But Mr. Warner said Robinson had been convicted of "a very, very minor assault, when you look at the whole scheme of things.'' Robinson should not face harsher punishment because of what happened later, when the officers were seriously hurt, Mr. Warner said.

"I shouldn't be locked up this long for remand, because I'm up for a slight charge,'' Robinson told the Chief Justice from the prisoner's dock.

He had been "reading up'' on penalties others had received for similar offences. "They got community service and probation,'' he said. "I think I deserve something like that.'' Robinson said he was still taking medicine for injuries he suffered in the incident. And his mother had been declared redundant from her job and was relying on his support to pay her mortgage.

"Also, I have a three-year old daughter that needs her father,'' Robinson told the judge.