A repeat offender was yesterday sentenced to 18 months imprisonment after he appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts charged with simple larceny.
The charge against Shawn Peters is that between September 9 and 10 at La Penitence, he stole two Power Master batteries and one 20 lb gas cylinder, carrying a the total value of $68,500 belonging to Neezam Keshaw.
Peters was not required to plead to the charge since it was indictable. However, Police Prosecutor Kerry Bostwick made an application for the Administration of Justice Act (AJA) to be applied. Magistrate Geeta Chandan-Edmond granted the prosecutor’s application and the charge was subsequently re-read to Peters who entered a plea of guilty.
According to the prosecutor, Peters is well known to the police and is in the habit of committing these offences. He said the virtual complainant (VC) is a scrap iron dealer who operates a business on 304 Independence Boulevard. The location is completely fenced and secured with a chain and padlocks and Keshaw also has a security guard on duty starting from 19:00 hrs. On the day of the incident the VC parked and secured his vehicle, GLL 2607, in the yard before leaving and on the following day when he returned around 08:20 hrs, he discovered the items missing.
The matter was reported to the police and based on information received Peters was arrested, he admitted to the offence and was later charged.
Peters, who was unrepresented during his sentencing, told the magistrate, “I begging you, My Worship, to do some community service or something. Me ain’t nobody and he claiming is two battery I thief but is only one I tek. And the gas cylinder, I pick that up from outside not in he yard.”
When asked if he was ever convicted before, Peters told the court that he had served three 2 years sentences as well as one for 6 months for simple larceny.
After hearing the facts and taking into consideration everything that was said, the magistrate sentenced Peters to 18 months imprisonment.
