Magistrate tells coconut thief “don’t do it again”

An unemployed man of Layou who stole a quantity of coconuts valued at almost $400 was spared a custodial sentence when he appeared in court on October 24.

Kelroy Patterson, 23, was ordered to pay compensation and placed on a bond when he appeared before Senior Magistrate, Rickie Burnett in the Kingstown Magistrate’s Court on a charge of theft.

Patterson was charged that on October 21, he entered the premises of a resident of Questelles and stole a quantity of coconuts valued at $396.00.

The defendant who told the court that he is unemployed, pleaded guilty as charged.

“Because you are still relatively young, and have no previous convictions and you entered a plea of guilty I’m not going to send you to prison for this offence. I’m going to allow you to change your life, walk on a different road…,” the senior magistrate told Patterson.

The accused man was ordered to pay compensation in the sum of $264.00 by December 31, 2022, in default of which he will spend two months in prison. Patterson was also bonded for one year in the sum of $1500.00. The senior magistrate also advised him not to do it again.