John Thomas of Pointe Michel has found himself in trouble after admitting to the theft of six coconuts valued at $6, and a bunch of bananas costing $15 from an elderly Grand Bay farmer.
Thomas was sentenced to spend one year and six months in jail after pleading guilty to theft of agricultural produce from an 85-year-old Grand Bay man on January 25, 2010.
Thomas was also fined $50 for causing malicious damage to the sun glasses of the complainant. He damaged the article when he shoved the complainant in an attempt to escaped after he was caught stealing from the man’s garden. The money must be paid by October 25, 2011 or Thomas will spend seven days in jail.
Thomas has also been ordered to pay $800 by November 25, 2010 in compensation for the battery of the elderly man. He will also serve a prison term of six months for this offence.
According to the facts of the case, presented by the police prosecutor, at about 10 a.m. on the said date, the complainant went to his garden at Back Street in Grand Bay where he met the defendant harvesting his crops.
The defendant had a bag on the ground which the complainant opened and searched. He discovered six coconuts and a bunch of bananas.
When the elderly man indicated that he would report the man for the crime,“The defendant ran towards him and shoved him, the complainant, to the ground and took the bag and ran away…He fell and got an abrasion on his left toe.”
Before passing sentence, Magistrate Tiyani Behanzin said, “I was thinking of making you work there for a year, but because of the violence I don’t think it will work.”
WHEN HE GETS OUT HE WILL NEVER STEAL AGAIN
THE NEXT TIME HE WILL LEARN TO ASK LOL LOL
Good one your Honour. You should instruct the prison officials to put him in the welcoming room at Hotel Stocky. Allow the welcoming committee to make him feel what the old man felt. I hope his soap stays on the floor.
good job judge, you have done a good job. by what i have read it could not have been .. cause she seem to be afraid of the criminals and usually give a tap on the whrist fine.. ha ha she needs to get some fortitude
Them voler not easy, from an 85 year old man mister stealing ah magway sa!….that good for him, them fellas too lazy. I remember not too long ago a voler tief two big crates of cabbage from an ole man garden and when they catch him, he say is a salad he was going to make….imagine that a salad with two crate of cabbage!
Maybe this one was going to make a sancoche, he just didnt have time voler de saltfish!
Dominica have too much fig and coconut to send a man all that time in jail for coconut. boy y didnt you call me and i would give you coconut we have soo much coconut and fig spoiling! You should have let me know and i would bring d coconut in the court room for you to give the man back..TOO LATE you have to do your hard time for it ..LEARN YOUR LESSON DONT STEAL COCONUT..WHAT WAS YOU MAKING SANCOACH
one year for 6 coconuts ?why not let the man cutlass the man coconut field instead of sending him to jail…murderers have it much easier than thieves in our nature isle
coconuts and bananas you stealing? stupz
am listerning to those saying to much time and give him community service it should be all u it happen to . ihope all u would say what all u saying now. hats off to tiyani give them the time we need more like u in da, i hope u get those muder cases so u can put those bastards before a death squard u are a good and just judge i like u . May God keeep u safe
Or community service….the judges themselves ..!!!!
what what!!! They send a man 1 year 6 month for stealing $6.00 coconut and $15.00 banana!!!! My tax money going to waste!!! you know how much that going to cost the country….the judge himself/herself couldn’t pay the fine!!!! foolishness in this country….not 1 month jail but 1 yr 6 month!!!!!! FOOLISHNESS….DAMMIT!!!
community service for a year, some hard frigging labour dat man needed man.goin chill in stockfarm.there gotta be an alternative to minor offences.the elder wasnt hurt seriously and it was only a few items.how many inmates dat prison can hold?send man to go rub up on man up dere next ting u know wen dem come out dem turn battyman and den our society gonna be filled with sodomites!! Judge, make dem guys do hard labour a yr or 2,and when i say hard i mean hard!!stop pile up prison!!
Com’on people this punishment is way to excessive- i bet it costs the state 3x and more the $800 he has to pay to support him. I mean seriously this should be community service, this judge is overrating now- and it only goes to show how unfair Dominica’s legal system is
The magistrate should also recommend flugging for this man because of what he did this elder who works so hard. Shame on this young man, this is one grandbayman should beat bad. BIG UP TO TIYANI FOR THE JOB HE IS DOING AND TO… FOR ENSURING THAT TIYANI IS WELL TAKEN CARE OFF.
ha, I glad. Teach the sucker a lesson.
@Piton Beer…..if it was ur father he did this too would u only want community service? I agree with the judge…maybe he will do like Chubby and make a song…pou 6 cocos eveh 1 banane…..
Great Judge keep it up bro. Dominican of the the year award should go to you.
That eh making no sense. Just give the man community service and done. jeez.
you could make him work there for a year, remember the prison doe have space eh!
I like this !!
Yes Judge! Teach him a lesson. , after the man is wrong he wants to be strong? garcon, whats wrong with you? An assult on an elderly person, is an assult on the community. Shame on you John! I never would have thought you would do something like that. Ma Ti Luck did not bring you up this way, that is for sure.
Can someone please tell me who is that John Thomas that put shame in Pointe michel people face again…Man you going all the way to Grandbay to still just that?
Now seriousness is coming out from the court house.
They must be reading and taking in the responses seriously.
Keep the TEMPO magistrates!