A 44-year-old farmer was fined EC$300 for stealing passion fruit from another farmer’s farm.
Glenroy Yorke of Sandy Bay, appeared at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court on a criminal trespass charge.
However, prosecutor, Corporal of Police Delando Charles told Magistrate Bertie Pompey that he was withdrawing that charge and substituting it with a theft charge.
Yorke pleaded guilty to a charge that on Nov. 15, 2023 at Orange Hill, he stole eight pounds of passion fruit, valued at EC$40, the property of Headley Nanton, of Orange Hill.
According to the facts read by the prosecutor, Nanton occupies two acres of land next to the defendant at Orange Hill.
At about 5:40 p.m., on the date, Nanton went to his farm and met the defendant on his land with a shirt filled with passion fruits.
When questioned, Yorke told Nanton he picked the passion fruit for himself and a friend. He also gave Nanton the passion fruits he had in his shirt.
In mitigation, Yorke told the court he went on Browne’s farm to look for a ladder he had lent the virtual complainant.
Yorke said he did not see Nanton so he picked the passion fruit to make juice.
The magistrate fined him, EC$300 to be paid in one month or three months in prison.