A pregnant 28-year-old Canadian appeared in the San Fernando First Magistrate's Court yesterday charged with the possession of a firearm.

Grace Holland was jointly charged with Dillon Chapman.Both pleaded not guilty.

They were represented by senior counsel Ernest Koylass, who said Holland was in the early stage of pregnancy and was not a flight risk because she had lost her passport.

The two said they lived at Thompson Street, Gasparillo.

Chapman was granted bail in the sum of $45,000 and Holland $20,000.

Deputy Chief Magistrate Mark Wellington said Holland's bail was granted on the condition that she report to Gasparillo Police Station three times a week, between 6 a.m and 6 p.m.

Koylass said Holland has since applied for a new passport through the Canadian embassy and when she receives it, it would be surrendered to the court.

That matter was adjourned to April 16.

Chapman, 29, was also jointly charged with three other men for robbery with aggravation.

Chapman, Sherwin Welcome, 20, Kardeem Rogers, 18, and Ryan Joseph, 19, were also charged by police constable Jarod Tambie with the offence of larceny.

Joseph pleaded guilty while the other men pleaded not guilty.

Court prosecutor Sergeant Cleyon Seedan said on March 15, victim Gabriel Vialva was standing at Whiteland Road, Williamsville, at around 7.05 p.m., when a white B-15 motorcar stopped and Joseph jumped out and announced a hold up.

The assailant, armed with a chopper, relieved Vialva of his Motorola cellular phone, valued $2,500.

Joseph returned to the vehicle and drove off with four other people.

Seedan said Joseph was pointed out by the victim after he was placed in an identification parade at Gasparillo Police Station.

Before passing sentence, Joseph told Wellington:

"What I did was a mistake. I didn't know what I was doing."

Joseph, who had no previous convictions, was sentenced to 30 months in prison.