SHAWN Smith, also known as ‘Broom Man’ opted to serve 40 days imprisonment after his request to have his fines paid over an extended period was denied by Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs-Marcus, at the New Amsterdam Court in Berbice, last Friday.The 39-year-old brooms seller pleaded guilty to charges of praedial larceny and threatening language, both offences committed on his foster father, Leslie Parks, of Lochaber Village, West Canje.
Police Inspector Gail Bristol, prosecuting, said, on February 18, Smith stole a quantity of mangoes valued $2,000 from the cultivated property of Parks.
The virtual complainant is a pensioner who lives with his wife in the same village as the defendant and the latter would, frequently, visit Parks’s yard.
On the day in question, Parks heard a noise emanating from his backyard and, on looking through his window, saw Smith with the mangoes which were already picked.
Parks told the defendant to leave the yard without the fruits but, instead of doing so, Smith threatened to kill the elderly man, the Court heard.
Responding to questions by the Magistrate, Smith confessed to taking the mangoes but declared it was just a bucket full.
He said he did not mean anything when he issued the threat but admitted he was before the Court previously, having stolen a cast net and was ordered to pay the $12,000 cost of it.
An arrest warrant had been issued for him but he was never arrested and despite a restraining order against him, he still visited Parks’s yard.
However, after listening to both men, Smith was fined $10,000 on the praedial larceny charge with the alternative of 40 days imprisonment and in addition, he was fined $20,000 for the threatening language offence.