Donald Marie of Fond Cole will now have to work extra hard to repay Donna Joseph of the same community $1,100.00 by August 31, 2022, in default he will go to jail for three months.
That was not the only punishment meted out to him by Magistrate Michael Laudat after he pleaded guilty to the theft of one Sam Sung J6 Plus cell phone valued at 1,000.00 and EC$1,100.00 in cash.
In fact, he was given a two-year jail sentence suspended for three years and warned that should he appear before the court for any offense before June of 2025 his two-year jail sentence will be “activated.”
According to the facts as presented by Woman Police Prosecutor Corporal Perdrina Dupigny, on June 11, 2022, Donna Joseph returned home around 2 am and before going to bed secured her doors. Around 4 am, she woke up and saw the defendant in her room over her, she took a bottle and threw it at him. He then made good his escape, she then went to check for her cell phone and realized it was missing along with EC$800.00 in a white envelope and EC$300.00 in a black purse.
A report was made to the police immediately.
During the day Marie was arrested and questioned, he admitted to the theft but said he only got $60.00 and used it to “buy some weed.”
He also took the police to where he had the cell phone hidden.
Asked for reasons why he should not be sent to jail for the crime, Marie said that he is gainfully employed as a construction worker and a fisherman and begged for a fine instead of a custodial sentence. “Give me some time, I can pay her back…I am working,” he told the court.
The prosecution informed the court that he is not “a first-time offender” and he has three convictions of theft dating back to 2016. The cell phone which was in good condition was returned to its owner.
“Go and behave yourself till 2025…and pay the lady her money,” the Magistrate told him.