A 37-year-old father of one, who admitted stealing a quantity of scrap iron valued over $2.4M from a woman’s storage house, was remanded to prison on Thursday when he appeared at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court.
Shaun Stewart of Lot 199 Guyhoc Park pleaded guilty to the charge of simple larceny when Acting Chief Magistrate Melissa Robertson read it to him, but he also offered an explanation.
He admitted that between December 1 last year and June 1 this year he stole a quantity of scrap iron valued over $2.4M, property of Paula Alexander.
Stewart, who said that he was a registered businessman attached to an electrical company and a father of a three-year-old boy, told the court that he would read from a piece of paper his thoughts about the case since “ah lil forgetful.”
He said that he entered his home in Guyhoc Park where he had been residing with his reputed wife and son for about four months, and discovered a hole in the flooring. He noted that he lived at the upper section of the house.
He further said that he noticed that the hole was big enough for someone to pass through and he immediately made checks in the house and discovered that his electrical drill, a quantity of jewellery and $63,000 in cash were missing. He then reported the matter to the East La Penitence Police Station.
He stated that three days later, Alexander went to the police station and made a false report against him accusing him of stealing and selling a quantity of scrap iron belonging to her.
He said that he confronted her about it after he had been arrested and released on station bail.
“I don’t have any idea about de things she sey I thief,” he said.
Stewart between sobs stated that he was a poor and hard working father and “I don’t get into any problems.”
However, Alexander, who was also present in court, stated that Stewart was her family’s handyman. She said that December last, Stewart begged her for a place to lodge since he had been evicted from his previous apartment.
She said that the house that Stewart is currently living in was an old company building that had been turned into a storage house. She said that her deceased husband had stored the scrap iron in the bottom section of the house.
She also noted that the upstairs had two rooms divided by a wall and Stewart had broken down the wall and gained access to the other room.
She said that before Stewart moved into the house she warned him not to interfere with the articles stored there but she kept getting calls informing her that Stewart was selling the articles.
Alexander went on to say that she was told that Stewart had hired several trucks and cars and had loaded them up with the scrap iron to sell and when she finally confronted him about it he said, “I gah live, yuh letting lil scrap iron geh between we.”
She said that several days after that the police came to her home to arrest her since Stewart had told them she had broken into his house and had stolen the items.
She said that this was presumptuousness and “ingratitude to the highest” and she then decided to make a report to the police station and provided them with all the necessary evidence for Stewart to be arrested.
She noted that he was the one who had made the hole in the flooring that allowed him to gain access to the scrap iron.
She said that after Stewart had been arrested and released, he was seen again in the backyard selling more of the scrap iron and when she confronted him last Sunday, he told her, “Is Father’s Day and I gah geh some money.” She said that he had admitted stealing and selling the scrap iron in the presence of the police.
Prosecutor Munilall Seetaram stated that he did not oppose Stewart being granted bail since the matter had been going on for some time now.
The magistrate subsequently ordered that Stewart be remanded to prison and that the case be transferred to Court Five for July 5.
