An 18-year-old man who broke into a house in Cane Garden where a woman was at home with her children, told the court that he wanted to ask her to allow him to live with her.
The teen, Oran Bute, of Redemption Sharpes, has been remanded in custody until today (Tuesday) for sentencing.
On Monday, at the Kingstown Magistrate’s Court, Bute pleaded guilty to a charge that on Sept. 3, he entered the dwelling house of Jeanne Dunbar, of Cane Garden, with intent to commit an offence, to wit theft.
“I want to hear from the VC (virtual complainant) the impact it had on her and her children. This may seem like a laughing matter. It is a very serious matter. You can’t just walk into people’s houses — although he didn’t take anything,” Magistrate John Ballah said after hearing the matter on Monday.
According to the facts, presented by the prosecutor, acting Corporal of Police Shamrack Pierre, Dunbar owns and occupies the house in Cane Garden, where she lives with her husband and their children.
On Sept. 3, about 7:30 a.m., Dunbar’s husband left home for work and the children were in their rooms.
While Dunbar was in her bedroom, she heard a noise coming from outside and thought it was her children
On hearing the noise, Dunbar expected the children to come into her bedroom to say “good morning”, as they normally would.
However, after several minutes, she did not see her children so she got up, opened her bedroom door and saw the defendant in her house searching a medicine cabinet.
Dunbar asked Bute what he was doing there and he told her he had come “for something”.
“Like he lives there?” Pierre commented as he read the facts.
The prosecutor told the court that Dunbar left Bute on the upper floor of the house and ran downstairs.
While she was downstairs, she saw Bute coming in that same direction and Dunbar shouted at him, telling him she would shoot him.
Dunbar telephoned her husband who arrived about seven minutes later and met the defendant at the house.
The police were summoned and Police Constable 227 Arthur responded and went to Dunbar’s home, where Bute was handed over to him.
Nothing was stolen from the house.
Bute was taken to the Criminal Investigation Department, where he was Interviewed.
He gave a written statement in which he outlined how he had gotten into the house.
In mitigation, Bute, who had no criminal record, told the court that he was looking around the house.
He said he was “obviously looking for the same lady to ask she a few questions”.
He said he wanted to ask her “if I can stay by she”.
Bute told the court that he knows Dunbar as she used to come to his father’s workshop.
He said when he checked the door knob it was unlocked and he locked the door after entering the house.
He said that while inside the house, he was searching to see if he could find anything “to notify” Dunbar.
Bute said he was “kind of scared” and the same time he was heading downstairs, Dunbar appeared and asked him what he was doing there.
He said that Dunbar’s husband met him there when he returned to the house and said he was going to call the police.
Bute said he quit school four years ago in form 2 because his father said he was getting in a lot of trouble and had to go and work.
He said he works at a workshop in Ottley Hall.
“Did the children encounter him?” the magistrate asked the prosecutor after hearing Bute’s mitigation.
Pierre told the court that the children, who are aged 6 and 9, saw Bute after their mother confronted him.
This is serious thank God no one got hurt. People need to secure their dwellings to avoid something similar from happening to them.
A product of the education revolution and none left behind.?
Is this teenager mentally sound? He probably should be tested. This is crazy!
As REAL said, thank God no one was hurt.