A police recruit was yesterday given a second chance after he admitted to moving a fellow trainee’s phone without permission.
Gladwin De Viera, a Linden resident, pleaded guilty to a charge that stated that on August 21, at the Felix Austin Police College, he stole a Samsung Galaxy S5, valued at $75,000, from Sherman Paul.
Police Prosecutor Arvin Moore told the court of Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan that on the day in question, police constable 24302 Paul, who was also a trainee at the college, left his phone charging in the bathroom of the dorm and went on the parade line.
The prosecutor added that when Paul returned, he discovered that his phone was missing and later saw De Viera with it. He proceed to ask De Viera if it was his [Paul’s] phone and he responded yes.
De Viera was then taken into the inquiries office, where he was questioned and told the officers that the phone was in the bathroom. He subsequently gave a statement under caution, where he admitted to the crime.
Granted the opportunity to address the court, De Viera said that he had a phone that was recently stolen and when he reported the theft nothing was done to retrieve it. As a result, he said, he moved Paul’s phone out of spite.
Chief Magistrate McLennan then told him, “You see how a little thing can change the rest of your life.”
She reminded him that investigations aren’t always completed in a few minutes or days, but may sometime take years. However, she told De Viera that she would be giving him a second chance and hoped that the police would do the same and allow him to complete his final exam and graduate from the training school. He was then reprimanded and discharged of the crime.
