Teen pleads guilty to swiping cell phone

Prosecutors in the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court were on Wednesday instructed by a senior parish judge to access the Child Care and Protection Act, which would allow her to sentence a 16-year-old.

The minor pleaded guilty to larceny from the person before Senior Parish Judge Paula Blake-Powell, who was shocked to hear that he was placed before the parish court rather than the Family Court, which has jurisdiction. The court heard that on November 30, 2022, the 16-year-old boy stole a Samsung Galaxy cell phone.

"He is not charged with an adult so how can he be here by himself?" the judge queried.

But the prosecutors were as clueless as the judge, as they informed her that they were not told of the defendant's age by the investigating officer, neither was there indication on the case file about the defendant's age.

The matter was adjourned until May 10, when the child is to be sentenced.