Accused shopbreaker gets off with warning

A man who reportedly broke into his sister-in-law's shop and stole several items in June got off with a stern warning in the St James Parish Court on Monday, after the complainant expressed a desire not to continue with the case.

Daniel Stewart, of a Salt Spring address, was before the court on the charge of shopbreaking and larceny. It is alleged that on June 5, Stewart went to his sister-in-law's establishment and stole several items, including 12 battery terminals, 10 cartons of cigarettes, and a bottle of Hennessy. When the complainant discovered the items were missing, a report was made to the police, following which Stewart was arrested and the items recovered at his home.

During a previous court hearing on July 10, the complainant had refused to undergo a mediation session with Stewart to resolve the issue, citing previous incidents of the defendant breaking into her business place. But when the case was called up before presiding Parish Judge Natiesha Fairclough-Hylton, the prosecution revealed that the complainant was not minded to proceed any further with the matter. No explanation was given. As a result, a no-evidence motion was issued for Stewart in order to remove the case from the court's list.

Before dismissing him from the court, Fairclough-Hylton admonished Stewart to abide by the law and stay out of trouble.

"Let me warn you, Mr Stewart, you got lucky this time. If you get charged and come before me for another offence, it is not going to go like this," Fairclough-Hylton said before allowing Stewart to leave.