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.”
Why waste the tax payer’s money to house this man in prison when alternative punishments could be sought? We need to find creative ways to manage our prison over population.
If the stolen item was sold, it should be recovered, repaired and returned to the rightful owner at the expense of the person who purchased the stolen property. Community service to the same church he stole from should be mandated. Imprisonment should be the last option and only when others like community services are breached.
All i can say is justice has been served you know you should not steal especially from a church that is god’s house .
babe d….but what about the man’s children?
Putting the man in jail just creates more social problems.
I agree with Berkeley Van Bowen that alternative punishments could be sought.
The problem however is that the system does not allow it.
I don’t believe justice was served by sentencing the man to jail for two years.
Was the item returned to the church? Who bought the item, and what was done to that person?
If he is unemployed, how could he employ an attorney to speak for him.
Not all churches r GOD”S house some belongs to the devil too.
I agree with Berkeley only if it is his first offence.
it is terrible to steal from the house of GOD he should be punish but if the item was return LET HIM GO the judges dont sometime know who to punish.
three children let him go
Wow!!! People.if a man can steal from church,please tell me what he would’nt do? Children or no children,that is a hardened thief man,like so many others that we need off our streets.Ok ,so he can steal from the church but if it was someone’s home then he should be beaten and then jailed,I do not understand your reasoning on this one my fellow bloggers,what is good for the goose should be good for the gander.
community service for this man please and not a prison sentence ………………
OK all, strike a deal with this man, give him a chance to become “borned again” and be a serving christian in this church or the alternative is prison.
i think what this man needs is a job the govt should provide employment or at least some form of trade or training to individuals so that instead of stealing they can put their mind and talents to better use!!!
If you can’t do the time don’t do the crime, if you made seven kids then you have a responsibility to provide for them. Why not ask the church Pastor to weed the yard or for some form of social assistance.Crime is Crime and everything we do in life have consequences be it good or bad and the fact of life is we have to accept those consequences for our actions.He is unemployed go weed yards or join the army or some security force it is an honest living.