South Rivers man jailed for 8 months for stealing paint

A South Rivers man will spend eight months in prison for stealing his neighbour’s paint.

Patrick John, a 53-year-old labourer, appeared before Magistrate Kaywanna Jacobs at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court and pleaded guilty to a charge that between Jan. 6 and 8, he stole two five-gallon buckets of paint valued at EC$900, the property of a neighbour surnamed Daniel.

According to the facts, at 7:30 a.m. on the date in question, Daniel was at home when someone came to ask for a flex line.

Daniel, 49, went to the back of his house and realised the two buckets of paint were missing.

As a result, he made a report at the Colonarie Police Station.

Later that day, the police visited Daniel’s home and an empty paint bucket and a pair of shoes were handed over to the police.

The police visited John’s home and informed him about the investigation.

“Officer, a man ah Pasture been check me for some paint so me tek them and carry them give he Friday. Let me carry alyo fuh dem!” John told the police.

The police accompanied John to Pasture in South Rivers where they met Aldon Chewit and informed him about the investigation.

Chewitt handed over two one-gallon buckets and three rum bottles of paint.

The police took the defendant and the exhibits to the Colonarie Police Station, where he was cautioned and interviewed in the presence of 605 Mc Dowall.

He was later arrested and charged.

The magistrate said John had convictions of a similar nature and was last imprisoned in 2023.

“Nothing has changed,” she said as she ordered John to serve another eight months in prison.

“You had no reason to do that,” the magistrate told John.