A man accused of a stabbing on George Street in May has pleaded not guilty and is going to trial. 20-year-old Robert Belbin is charged with aggravated assault and robbery with violence. He also faces three counts of breaching the terms of his previous release, which he also denies. Belbin, who remains free on parole, was arrested along with several others in connection with a recent rash of violence in the St. John’s metro area, including a shooting spree and the bombing of a home on the city’s east end. He is charged with the stabbing himself, while several others face weapons charges ranging from trafficking to possession and reckless use of illegal weapons. The arrests were made in late May after incidents that also saw the lobby of an apartment building sprayed with bullets. Police say a recent shooting in Goulds is also connected to the case. Several illegal weapons were also seized from the Brookfield Road area of the city. Belbin’s trial is set for February 24 and 27 in provincial court.
