Cory Peddle told provincial court in St. John’s Wednesday he didn’t remember much about the night three masked men entered his home on Fourth Street in Mount Pearl and stole his rings, a PlayStation and money.
It was February of last year and he and three friends were drinking in his apartment, and were waiting on another friend to arrive.
A knock came on the door of the basement apartment and when one of his friends opened it, three intruders forced their way in.
Peddle was testifying at the trial of four men accused of a series of violent home invasions last year.
The accused are Abdifatah Mohamed, 28, Tyler Donahue, 24, Gary Hennessey, 33, and Mitchell Nippard, 26.
While three of the accused are represented by lawyers, Mohamed is representing himself.
Sharply dressed in a black suit and red tie, when his turn came Mohamed politely asked Peddle questions.
“I’d like to take you back to Feb. 3, 2017,” Mohamed said, a legal-sized notepad in his hand. “What were you intoxicated on?”
“Beer,” replied Peddle.
“How much beer?”
“Six or seven or eight,” Peddle said. “A lot for someone my size.”
“You see any (of the intruders) in court today?”
“No,” replied Peddle.
Other witnesses to testify Wednesday were RNC officers who were involved in parts of the investigation into the home invasions.
The afternoon session of the trial was taken up viewing video clips of businesses allegedly visited by the suspects during the time period of the home invasion investigations.
The trial continues today.
Hennessey, Donahue, Mohamed and Nippard are facing numerous charges in connection with four home invasions in February 2017, during which victims were reportedly tied up, assaulted and robbed. Nippard is also accused of shooting two dogs during the robberies, killing one.
A fifth man, 28-year-old Mohamed Salim, is also believed to have been involved, but was found dead March 3 in a quarry off the Trans-Canada Highway near Paradise. It is believed he died in the cold while attempting to escape from police.
