Businessman held with stolen electronics

A senior parish judge is adamant that a businessman who has found himself before the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court for the second time in six years for receiving stolen property is to spend some time in custody.

"I believe there needs to be a time for a short, sharp shock. You're not learning because you were already sentenced before for the same offence. You are very careless, and I say that, as country people would say, without water in my mouth. He is very careless because he already came before the court for similar acts and to me that is sufficient," Senior Parish Judge Lori-Anne Cole-Montaque chided Christopher Anderson, who pleaded guilty to receiving stolen property.

It was shared in the court that on May 24, about midday, the complainant securely locked his Range Rover at a property in Kingston 12. About an hour later, he returned and noticed the left passenger window was broken into and his Gucci bag, a Sagicor chequebook, an Apple Macbook and an Apple iPad Pro were missing.

A report was made to the police and the Apple devices were tracked to a phone store located in Half-Way Tree, St Andrew. Anderson was found in possession of the items and arrested. When cautioned, he said, "Boss, me nuh bruk inna nuh car. A one yute come sell me dem. A di second time dis a reach me."

"When you come to court there must be a sense of dread say 'Me nuh muss go home yuh know'. Me a preach to the young people dem to be careful wid people tings. This is bad," the judge scolded further.

"I don't like this at all. I understand that there are industries and they are regulated in a particular way, but as someone who says they are in the business of fixing phones and buying phone, you have to develop your own thing. It's either you are going to get a log book and write down the phones and take a picture of the person's driver's licence, yes, you have to do something," Judge Cole-Montaque stressed, noting the frequency of the matters relating to phone theft before the court.

But even as Anderson's attorney, Steven Jackson, pleaded with the judge to impose a non-custodial sentence or even a fine, the judge was not swayed.

"He's too experienced to be taken for, well you can finish it, this is not his first time walking through these doors," the judge noted, quoting part of a line from Barrington Levy's Too Experienced.

Judge Cole-Montaque then had the court officers take Anderson into custody, where he was detained for almost two hours.

When he was placed before the court, his lawyer indicated that they would be prepared for sentencing later this week. The matter is set for mention on August 24, when Anderson is to be sentenced. - T.T.