Appeal hearing continues for cop convicted of theft from police armoury

The Court of Appeal has begun to hear an application brought by the mastermind behind the theft of several guns and thousands of rounds of ammunition from the police armoury, Sergeant Russell Robinson, against his conviction and sentence.

The hearing began yesterday and submissions continued today in the Court of Appeal.

Russell is contending that he is innocent.

The policeman was found guilty in 2011 of 18 counts of illegal possession of firearms and illegal possession of 9,540 rounds of ammunition.

He was sentenced to 15 years' imprisonment each on the firearm charges and 10 years' imprisonment on the ammunition charge.

The sentences are running concurrently.

The Crown had led evidence at the trial that in February 2010 Robinson was found in possession of the guns and ammunition which belonged to the police armoury on Munster Road in Kingston where he was assigned at the time.

Robinson said in an unsworn statement from the dock that he was not in possession of the guns and ammunition.

He said it was a grand conspiracy by some members of the Police High Command to set him up.