(CNS): Although Durney Loxley Ebanks may have only demanded $6 when he threatened a grown man and young child with a machete, the robbery earned him six years at Northward Prison. Sentencing the man that even his own defence attorney had called “something of a menace to society” as a result of his long list of previous convictions, Chief Justice Anthony Smellie observed Ebanks’ mental health problems were complicated by his drive to self-medicate with illegal drugs and alcohol. The judge noted that Ebanks could not be trusted to be in society unsupervised as he did not take his prescribed medication and was a danger to others.

Justice Smellie lamented the lack of a suitable mental health care facility but noted that at least during his incarceration within the prison system he would be under the supervision of mental health practitioners who could ensure his condition was controlled through the proper medication.

Ebanks, who has already been in custody for some time awaiting his trial and subsequent sentencing, still demonstrated obvious mental health problems. He asked if he could speak and told the court that he was sorry but that he had been hurt all of his life since he was eleven years old.

“I know I believe in God and I do what God wants me to do ... This life here sucks, I believe in another life,” Ebanks said. “I did those robberies but I never shed blood. It’s not us that do these things, it’s God.”

The chief justice pointed out, however, that God requires people to take responsibility for their actions and Ebanks had up until his sentencing not shown any remorse for his crime and had throughout the trail maintained his innocence. The judge noted that while Ebanks had only demanded six dollars with which to buy cocaine, having gone to the house of his cousin armed with a machete, this had caused great fear in the victim who was at home with his young child.

Ebanks had a history of violent behaviour, Justice Smellie noted, and stated that a custodial sentence was the only option as he said Ebanks was a threat to the community, and handed down the six year sentence.