Cape Town - A Knysna man has been sentenced to 20 years behind bars after he was convicted of robbing two women at knifepoint in separate attacks along a beach in Sedgefield in the Western Cape.
Ashwill Harvey was sentenced this week at the Knysna Regional Court after he was convicted of two counts of robbery with the intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
The State proved that in July 2019, Harvey, who is a father of three, had robbed the first women at knifepoint while he had been fishing.
In a plea and sentencing agreement he said he had noticed his first victim, Shelly du Plessis walking along the beach and decided to rob her because he had not managed to catch any fish and could not provide for his family.
He grabbed her and as she pulled at the knife’s blade, she got cut on the hand.
He placed duct tape over her mouth and tied her hands and then led her by force to a bush where he could rob her without being noticed.
He fled with her Samsung cellphone.
Two years later, in July 2021, Harvey was fishing at the same spot when he noticed Tamsen Emmerich strolling along the beach.
He also decided to rob her, again claiming it was to provide for his family.
National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila said Harvey had also placed tape over Emmerich’s mouth as he did with his first victim.
This time he also fled with the woman’s vehicle.
“The Knysna Regional Court has sentenced Ashwill Harvey to an effective 20 years’ imprisonment after he was convicted for robbing two women at knifepoint, who were strolling on Cola Beach in Sedgefield,” he explained.
“Harvey was charged and convicted on two counts of robbery with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
“On July 18, 2021, he was fishing at the same spot (where he had robbed Du Plessis) and had the same bad luck of not catching any fish, when he noticed Tamsen Emmerich strolling on the beach. He decided to rob her, as he claimed that he did have anything to give to his family.
“With a knife in hand, he grabbed her, pushed her to the ground and put duct tape on her mouth and hands. He then guided her into the thicker bushes to be able to rob her without the fear of interruption from other possible beachgoers.
“He found her vehicle keys in her jacket and took them. He drove her vehicle but was chased by onlookers.
“He crashed the vehicle as he attempted to escape.”
State prosecutor Johannes Marx argued: “It is always a serious offence to commit robbery with aggravating circumstances and the offence is more serious when committed against women in circumstances where they are particularly vulnerable, such as in this instance where the complainants were walking alone on the beach.
“The crimes were committed at a beach which is a public space frequented by tourists and residents alike.
“Crime affects tourism, which has a detrimental impact on the economy of the local community. If public spaces become unsafe, it affects the constitutional rights to freedom and security of all citizens.
“The accused committed the second offence on July 18, 2021, while he was released on bail and appearing in court for the first offence he committed on July 29, 2019.”
Ntabazalila detailed the sentencing: “The court sentenced Harvey to 15 years’ imprisonment for Du Plessis’s robbery with aggravating circumstances, and 20 years’ imprisonment for Emmerich’s robbery with aggravating circumstances. It ordered the 15-year imprisonment sentence to be served concurrently with the 20-year imprisonment sentence.”
The Director of Public Prosecutions in the Western Cape, advocate Nicolette Bell, welcomed the sentence: “We will continue to vigorously prosecute the scourge of gender-based violence as it encroaches on the right to dignity of women.
“We condemn any form of violence against women and children and I want to congratulate the investigation and prosecution teams who ensured this befitting sentence.
“I also want to commend members of the community who assisted in chasing the accused, leading to his arrest in the second robbery incident.
“The fight against crime, particularly the fight against gender-based violence, requires all of us to put our shoulders on the wheel to reduce this scourge.