A three-year sentence has been handed down to a man who claims he was “under the influence” when he decided to ring in the New Year by attempting to break into Coreas Drinks Division.

Reports are that on Sunday, January 1, 2017, around 3:15 p.m., Curtis Joseph was seen with a bolt cutter, attempting to cut off a padlock on Coreas Drinks Division at Lower Bay Street. He was approached by security guards, who gained the upper hand on him after he wrestled with them.

Joseph was later apprehended by police.

When he appeared before Bertie Pompey at the Kingstown Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday, Joseph pleaded guilty that with intent to commit burglary on Coreas Drinks Division, he did an act that was more than preparatory to the commission of the offence.

Joseph told the court that he was “under the influence” and explained that he was influenced by other persons to break into the business place. However, he said “while under the influence”, the guards shouted at him and the other men fled.

Unfortunately for Joseph, the prospect of leniency went out the window when prosecutor Elgin Richards rose and asked Pompey to impose a “sentence of quality,” adding that Joseph is a repeat offender and the section under which Joseph is charged is equivalent to that of burglary.

Richards then recommended a custodial sentence.

According to him, it seems as though persons apprehended for these offences are not learning, but simply “going and coming” and so, when the defendant has finished his prison term, there should be a change in his life.

Pompey agreed with Richards, stating that Joseph has a long history of criminal offences. He noted that in August, Joseph had been released from a six-month prison term for a related offence.

“It appears that there is no hope of redemption… I have to protect society, even for a short period,” said Pompey. (AS)