A man who pleaded guilty to stealing from a church was sentenced to two years imprisonment when he appeared at the Reliance Court on Wednesday before Magistrate Geeta Chandan Persid-Edmond.

The court heard that on June 29, 46-year-old Dereck Persaud of Lot 45 Stanleytown, New Amsterdam (NA) entered the Cornerstone Brethren’s Church at Harkman’s Lane, NA and stole an amplifier valued $85,000.

The man’s attorney, Charrandass Persaud informed the magistrate that his client has seven children and is unemployed. He asked that the court be lenient.

Police prosecutor, Sergeant Satrohan Diaram submitted to the court that the maximum penalty should be enforced. He further said that if the defendant has a family to maintain he should have been “gainfully employed.”