Suspended Sentence: Cell Phone Theft
49-year-old Raymond Robinson pleaded guilty to stealing a $900 cellphone on 16th November 2011, and came away with a six month prison sentence suspended for two years this morning [Nov.28].
DPP Prosecutor Cindy Clarke told Senior Magistrate Archie Warner that Mr Robinson had been in the Audio-Visual store in Somerset Village and had taken the cellphone belonging to the Manageress.
His action had been caught on the store’s CCTV and Mr Robinson had later been accosted, in Somerset, by the Manageress and her brother. Mr Robinson had admitted the theft and the Police were called, and he was taken into custody. The cellphone was retrieved and returned to its rightful owner.
Ms Clarke told the Magistrate that Mr Robinson had a criminal history whose records commenced in 1988 and that most offences were concerned with theft. His last appearance on a criminal matter was in May 2011; when he appeared on a drugs offence.
Mr Robinson told the Magistrate that he was: “…trying to turn my life around” …and that his action in taking the phone had been “very stupid.”
Mr Robinson said that he was currently working, had been working for the past three years, and had an apartment. He pleaded with the Magistrate to ‘give him a chance’. Offering to pay a fine, Mr Robinson said: “I can pay $200 a week. I don’t want to go to jail and lose my job and apartment.”
Taking into account Mr Robinson’s guilty plea; that the phone had been recovered meaning that the Manageress had suffered no loss; that he seemed genuinely contrite and remorseful; the Senior Magistrate ordered a six month custodial sentence but suspended it for two years.
He warned Mr Robinson that any offence committed with the next twenty-four months could result in his immediate incarceration.
Read More About
Category: All, Court Reports, Crime, News
This is exactly why crime is on the rise, because they know they can come up with some bullsh*t generic excuse and get off with a fine. If he was ‘trying to turn his life around” and on his way to being a normal productive citizen, why would he be so stupid as to risk having a job, an apartment, etc ruined for a cell phone?!? What an idiot. The judge should have sent him away just for being stupid. And he had a previous record.
How about we make these fools do minimum amount of community service in additional to a heavy fine.
The “Senior Magistrate” needs to go back home. All these suspended sentences send no clear message.
A message must be sent that theft which is a felony will not be tolerated.
To hell with budget. Five men to a cell.
So he has been working for three years, has an apartment etc, etc.. did they just take his word… what about a social inquiry to obe certain he was telling the truth. Hmmm come on Ms Clarke!!!