A 20-year-old labourer on Friday pleaded guilty to the charge of larceny from the person and was subsequently sentenced to 16 months imprisonment when he appeared before Acting Chief Magistrate Melissa Robertson at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court.
On May 22 at Georgetown, Marvin English of 53 East La Penitence stole from the person of Roopnarine Ramkishun one gold band valued $160,000, property of the virtual complainant.
When asked by the magistrate why he had committed the offence, the defendant explained that he was influenced by friends to steal the virtual complainant’s (VC) hand band. He told the court that he went up to the VC’s vehicle and snatched the band off his hand.
The VC who is a licenced firearm holder explained to the court that he was sitting in his vehicle waiting for his wife and had rested his hand on the door when the defendant ran up to the vehicle, quickly snatched the band off his hand and ran away. Ramkishun added that he began pursuing the defendant and fired a shot which caused the defendant to halt. The police were subsequently summoned and English was arrested. . The item was recovered and lodged at the Brickdam Police Station.
According to Police Prosecutor, Corporal Munilall Seetaram, the defendant was not a first offender and had been placed on bail only last week in another court for a similar matter. “He is known for going around snatching people’s things,” Seetaram said.
When the magistrate enquired from the defendant if he was aware that the offence carried a jail sentence, he quickly started begging for mercy. “Meh Worship ah just asking fuh some mercy, ah nah gun do it again.” The unrepresented English was sentenced to 16 months imprisonment.
