“Oh God, I guilty, I guilty, I is a shoplifter,” Damion James cried out as he entered the courtroom last Friday at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court.

James, 43, of 141 Cooper Street, Albouys-town pleaded guilty to stealing three carpets on September 26 from a Regent Street store when the larceny charge was read to him by Acting Chief Magistrate Melissa Robertson.

James was accused of stealing three carpets valued $9,000 from a store on Regent Street and fleeing the area.
After wiping away tears, James said, “Look your worship I is a shoplifter and when I done doing it I does go an smoke drugs and I get a bundle a hungry children that I does give lil something fuh eat.”

When asked by the magistrate why he did not get a job he said, “When I go fuh do wuk dey tell me that they ain’t want no Rasta and when I did  wukin some people looking like priest thief de people things and I get lock up fuh it.”

James stated that on the day in question he was walking on Regent Street when he decided to steal the carpets. He said that he picked them up and ran into a man’s yard and informed the owner that he had just stolen a few items and needed a place to hide. He said the police were chasing after him and when they caught him later that day “deh beat me and bruck up all me teeth. Look at my plates my Worship,” James said, as he exhibited two broken pieces of dentures in his hands.

When asked why he shoplifts, James said, “I tell you I is a shoplifter. I does live by me granny and she ain’t got anything fuh give me so I do what I gaffa do. But I don’t stick up nobody with knife and thing like that.”

Magistrate Robertson then ordered him to pay a fine of $25,000. As James was escorted out of the court by a police officer he shouted, “Ow I can’t mek duh, gimme something smaller.”