An unemployed 20-year-old man was on Monday spared from a jail sentence by Principal Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs-Marcus after he confessed to a simple larceny charge.
Shamar Whyte of Joint Service Housing Scheme, South Ruimveldt, admitted that on January 12, 2019, at Hadfield Street, Georgetown he stole a gold chain and pendant valued $300,000 from Ashanti Khan.
According to the facts presented in court, on the day in question, the victim was at the Mahdia bus park waiting on transportation when Whyte snatched the gold chain from her neck and made good of his escape.
Khan managed to raise an alarm and Whyte was nabbed by public-spirited persons.
“I’m sorry; I did it and I’m begging for leniency,” Whyte told the court.
The Magistrate ordered that a probation report be done on Whyte before sentencing.
When the report was read in court by probation officer Atwell; it was revealed that Whyte had dropped out of school and was in need of proper guidance.
Atwell told the court that Whyte’s mother is currently on vacation and he was put out from the family home when he was 19 and is now living with his sister and her relatives.
The officer said that based upon her finding the defendant was sorry for his actions and he was “led away” by his friend.
The Magistrate after considering the report, the nature of the crime, Whyte’s age and that fact that he was a first-time offender, sentenced him to six-week community service at the Georgetown Magistrates Court.
He was also ordered to undergo counselling sessions with Atwell.
