A known defendant to the court, Brent Peter of Pointe Michel, for the next five years must not commit the offense of theft or an 18 month suspended custodial sentence will be imposed.
Peter appeared before the Roseau Magistrate Court on August 29, 2022, where he pleaded guilty to theft and not guilty to vagrancy.
According to the charge brought by the police, on August 22, 2022, at Pointe Michel, the defendant stole one Lenovo backpack containing a Lenovo laptop and other accessories valued at $3531.97, a pair of prescription glasses valued at $1700.00 and a Samsung cell phone valued at $900.00, all to the total value of EC$6131.97 – the property of John Blanchard.
Peter is also accused of entering the enclosed yard of another Pointe Michel resident on August 7, 2022, for an unlawful purpose.
Police Prosecutor, Inspector Laville, accepted his guilty plea to theft and presented the facts of the case to the court.
The facts stated that on August 21, 2022, Blanchard secured his home about 10:00 p.m. The following morning sometime after 3:00 a.m., he was awakened by his girlfriend who told him that someone was in their home and he then saw someone leaving the house through the front door.
Blanchard immediately conducted a thorough search of his dwelling and noticed that his laptop backpack which contained his laptop, mouse and USB cord along with his prescription glasses and cellphone, were missing.
He left his home and went to the Pointe Michel police station where he made a report.
During the course of that same day, Blanchard went to Peter’s home where he met his mother. The complainant informed her of what had transpired and after speaking with her son, she handed Blanchard all the stolen items.
The police were contacted and a few days later, Peter was arrested and was charged with theft.
At Monday’s hearing, the defendant, who was unrepresented, mitigated on his own behalf.
“Your Honor I did it the night but when I got up the next day, I had a different conscience and different heart,” he stated, adding “I heard my mother talking about what happened so I was honest with her and told her is me that take it and asked her to bring…back…the items to Mr. John Blanchard.”
While he expressed his disappointment over the police involvement in the matter as according to him, “Mr. Blanchard told me if I give him back everything, he will not take me to court,” Peter insisted, “I am not a thief. I was under the influence of alcohol and alcohol not going with me.”
In response, Magistrate Michael Laudat reprimanded the defendant and told him that alcohol should not be blamed for his mischief.
“Alcohol is not your problem. If something not going with you, leave it alone…you cannot drink rum and go and steal. Rum is to give you a little high and make you feel nice not to steal,” Laudat stated.
While the maximum penalty for the offense of theft at the Magistrate Court is five years imprisonment, Magistrate Laudat said he will not impose a custodial sentence. However, he suspended an 18 month jail sentence for the next five years.
“You said you are not a thief, so prove to me you are not. For the next five years, if you ever come before this court for theft and plead guilty or you are found guilty, this 18 month sentence will be implemented on whatever sentence another Magistrate hands down.”
Restitution was ordered to Blanchard for the stolen items.
On the charge of vagrancy, Peter was unable to present a surety to the court to secure bail. Hence he was remanded into custody at the Dominica State Prison until such time.
The matter was adjourned to September 27 for trial.
Of course not, you are not a thief! But what exactly are you? I mean in DA we have an honourable PM but he isn’t really honourable. Are you perhaps a honourable thief? We have quite a few of those in DA as well.
How can that thief say he’s not a thief when he stole a quantity of someone possession amounting to almost seven thousand dollars?
Man, you are not just a common thief, you a damn thief, a hardened thief, a hardened criminal.
Know to the court, the only reason you are not doing five to ten years now is because you are cousin to someone corrupted crook in the judiciary.
That thief is very lucky that he was not indicted for burglary at the high court rather than theft at the magistrate court. He entered the man’s premises in the dead of night and took the items. In my view John is just lucky he is alive because had he awakened while the thief was still inside I am lead to believe a confrontation would have ensued and who knows what we would have been saying now. My granny always said a thief is a potential murderer so treat him like one because he never expects to be caught.
I see Magistrate Laudat gave him a nice break because he came clean with his mother and John. Nonetheless the crime was already committed. If he could do that to a well respected community man man like John just imagine what he has done and gotten away with. But I will say that; If god forbid John ever find mister near his house again it’s not going to be that pretty. God bless u bro John …stay strong!
The devil and alcohol are the two biggest scapegoats for wrongdoings committed by culprits and criminals.
The devil has never committed any crime. Man, by his own volition, is responsible for his own wrongdoings.
None of us is perfect, we all make mistakes all the time. All we can do is to try our best is to try our best to learn from our mistakes, take responsibility for them, and do a better job tomorrow.
I’m not condoning theft or criminal behavior. But, given that the man got all his stuff back, he could have cut his fellow villager some slack and kept his alleged word by not calling the police. The defendant comes across like an honest thief with a good heart who has a very decent mother. And there was no loss of life or limb. Maybe all he needs is some sort of rehabilitation. Hope he can stay out of further trouble.
Aesop famously said that petty thieves are hanged while the great thieves are appointed to public office. We may not have to look far to find some of those great thieves in our neighborhood. And, before we cast judgment, Scripture records that even the penitent and dying thief on the cross next to the Savior found redemption. Who are we to judge?
Juanita, I usually support your comments. This one is an exception. Are you serious?
There is no honest thief. That’s ridiculous nonsense. This is like saying someone is fat and slim, or tall and short at the same time.
Crime, more particularly, breaching the sanctity and security of one’s home should never be taken flippantly. Remember also this was not this thief first rodeo. . One of the two parties could have been shot, knifed or bludgeoned to death. Think about it.
That is what we have always been saying,UWP supporters are the ones condoning,and supporting crimes in Dominica.Read Juanita’s comment.All one have to do is commit a crime and say sorry.They supported the destruction of private and public property on the night of February 7 2017.
@ Ibo France, I usually support your comments as well. I think you are one of the most prolific commentators here. I read every comment you make and in addition to your command of the English Language, I believe that you are almost always on point.
Yes, I am serious! Once a person gets labelled in a small community, people expect them to behave within the confines of that label. Maybe the guy labelled as a thief never had a chance but he showed that he has a conscience. And as for the reporter, a man’s word should be his bond.
When he steel from you you will sing a different song..is people like u that have criminales pileing up in de country. Don’t take him to Courts he will do it again so what your point.. if us you next he coming to so let me see how u react
During one month (August 2022), this defendant entered two private premises illegally with the sole intention of stealing.
Instead of getting a suspended sentence, this man should have been dealt with to the fullest extent of the law.
Crime has never been so high in the history of Dominica. Yet, this magistrate is making a mockery of the justice system. Where is the deterrent to crime? This leniency by these aloof magistrates and judges are definitely contributing to the morass and quagmire impacting Dominica.
for some it is a disease. They see a place they can burst and it does trouble them until they burst the place.