THIRTY-NINE-YEAR-OLD Milton Smith, who pleaded guilty to break and enter and larceny, was sentenced to nine months imprisonment yesterday.
The custodial penalty was inflicted on him by Acting  Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry, after he admitted that, last February 27, he broke and entered Comenius Primary School in Anira Street, Queenstown, Georgetown and stole six rolls of toilet paper, three pairs of scissors, exercise books and other things, valued a total $4,040, property of the Ministry of Education. Smith, who made his first appearance earlier in the month,  had told the court he committed the burglary to get and eat biscuits and the magistrate ordered a probation report into his background.
Probation Officer Trenetta Scott, from the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security, reported yesterday that the burglar worked as a porter at John Fernandes Limited.
She said he confessed to knocking out a beam from the school building to gain entry and gave his address as Lot 169 Thomas Street, Kitty, also in the city, but when she visited there, the residents said they knew no one by the defendant’s name.
Scott recommended that Smith be evaluated as he appeared to have psychological problems but, when the magistrate asked him if he preferred to be examined or be sentenced immediately, he begged for two months imprisonment.
Prior to sentencing him, the magistrate said the court took into consideration that Smith had no previous convictions, he went into the building for something to eat and entered a guilty plea in the first instance.     
The magistrate said the fact that the convict damaged the school building meant there was a need to send a strong message to other such offenders. However, he was not jailed for the maximum five years by which the crime is punishable.