Man, 71, steals 15 watermelons worth EC$300

A 71-year-old man has pleaded guilty to stealing 15 watermelons, valued at EC$300.

Police recovered the stolen fruit when they executed a search warrant at the home of Rismore Mayers.

The fruits belonged to Hazzard Joseph, of New Chapmans, and Mayers stole them between Nov. 19 and 22 at Langley Park.

On Monday, at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court, Corporal Delando Charles told the court that Joseph farms two acres of land in Langley Park.

On Feb. 19, at 6:30 p.m., she noticed that her watermelons were ready to be harvested.

Three days later, she returned to the farm at 6:10 a.m. to pick the watermelons but realised that 15 of the fruit were missing.

A search warrant was executed at the defendant’s home, where police found a black bag containing watermelon slices, which they kept refrigerated at the Georgetown Police Station as evidence.

In mitigation, defence lawyer, Carl Williams told the court that it was “unfortunate to have a man who has achieved three score and 10 to be standing here admitting to guilt in relation to a dishonest offence.

“We cannot speculate as to what may have caused him to err in such a manner after being a virgin to the law,” the lawyer said and asked the court to impose a non-custodial sentence.

After a brief conversation with Mayers, the lawyer told the court that the defendant’s children had promised to assist him if he was to pay a fine or compensation.

After weighing the aggravating and mitigating factors, the magistrate settled on a custodial sentence of one month and two weeks.

However, considering Mayers circumstances, including his age, his good prospects for rehabilitation and that it was his first offence, she ordered compensation of EC$300 to be paid in one month or one-month imprisonment.

The prosecution withdrew a second charge that between Oct. 30 and Nov. 2, 2023, Mayers dishonestly received for his own benefit, 15 watermelons believed to be stolen goods.

PC 1014 Samuel was the investigator.