DEVON Rodney, a thirty-seven-year-old labourer, admitted before Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry that between March 11 and 12, he broke and entered Hugh October’s Restaurant and Bar on Regent Street, Georgetown, and stole cash worth $108,740., plus a gas cylinder and beverages to the accumulated value of $153,140.

He was consequently sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment for break-and-enter and larceny.

Police Inspector Michael Grant, prosecuting, said that at about 19:00 hrs on March 11, the virtual complainant secured his business place by the means provided and retired to bed. On March 12, at about 06:00 hrs, he woke up to discover that a window on the western side of the building had been broken. Carrying out a search, he discovered the articles mentioned in the charge were missing.

His surveillance camera captured the prisoner’s image, the matter was reported to the police, and the information in the footage was turned over to them.

The defendant, Rodney, told the court that he was convicted for a littering offence, but the prosecutor informed the Chief Magistrate that he had been charged and convicted for several similar offences.

Rodney denied the prosecutor’s assertion, and requested leniency on the custodial penalty, but was sentenced as reported.

(Geeta Rampersaud)