A St. John’s man with a history of armed robberies and ignoring conditions of his release has again been freed on bail.
42-year-old Jason Gosse was most recently arrested in January following a day-long crime spree involving holdups at the CIBC in Churchill Square and a gas station on Freshwater Road. He’s also accused of using a gun to steal someone’s car near St. Clare’s hospital in the midst of it all.
In court this morning, Judge Jacqueline Brazil was blunt in her assessment of the risk Gosse poses to the public, noting he has little respect for court orders and a track record of not following them.
She also repeatedly emphasized the seriousness of the offenses he’s charged with, as well as the lengthy list of past convictions—including an armed robbery in 2016 that resulted in a five-year federal sentence.
Nonetheless, Brazil released Gosse on bail today on the strength of “a good bail plan” proposed by a woman who promises to make sure Gosse follows all the rules this time. If he doesn’t, both the woman and Gosse could be fined $2,000 each.
Judge Brazil said the conditions on Gosse are the most stringent she’s ever imposed on anybody, telling him by teleconference that it’s likely his last chance to prove he can behave himself on the outside.
Gosse’s trial is scheduled for July.