A thief who was bonded to keep the peace for six months and pay the court EC$900 and go to jail for six months if he breached it, saw the bond activated two days before it expired.
And, with Jahmol Carter, 25, of Paul’s Avenue, unable to come up with the EC$900 forthwith, he was ordered to serve the nine months in prison, in addition to three months for his latest crime.
On Monday, with just two days left on his June 16, 2020, six-month bond, Carter pleaded guilty to charges that he stole three bottles of Far Away perfume from Jax Enterprises.
Prosecutor acting Corporal of Police Corlene Samuel told the court that on Dec. 10, Thomas O’Garro, a security officer at Jax Enterprises, was on duty about 3:45 p.m. when he received some information.
Acting on this information, O’Garro reviewed footage of the CCTV and saw that Carter had gone to a shelf and had removed two bottles of “Far Away” perfume valued at EC$25 each and left the store without paying.
Further review of the CCTV footage showed that on Dec. 6, the defendant had used a rag to remove one bottle of the same brand of perfume and had left the store without paying for it.
On Dec. 11, O’Garro was informed of the defendant’s presence in the store.
The security officer locked the door of the departmental store while the defendant attempted to exit the building.
Having no means of escape, Carter went to the cosmetic section, removed the perfume from his crotch and threw it to the ground.
Asked by the magistrate if he has a girlfriend, Carter answered “No girlfriend.”
He then told the court, “I was keeping them for my personal hygiene.”
Noting that the items are valued at less than EC$100, Burnett told the defendant, “But look at what you’ve been doing!” — an apparent reference to the number of Carter’s theft convictions.
Carter has convictions for stealing from PH Veira and Company Ltd, Gibson’s Building Supplies Ltd., and Coreas City Store.
“You’re going to prison for defaulting on the EC$900 or six months, and the three matters before me, one month each – consecutive,” Burnett told Carter.