Repeat teen offender sentenced to 18 months over break and entry

A teenaged convict was yesterday sentenced to 18 months behind bars, after he admitted to breaking and entering a Kumaka, North West District home, and removing over $100,000 in items.

Charged for the crime was Mark Sampson, who appeared in the courtroom of Acting Chief Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs-Marcus.

It was alleged that the accused, during the month of April, at Kumaka Stretch, North West District, broke and entered the home of Deon Raymond and stole a $75,000 gold ring and a $35,000 Guess watch.

Police Prosecutor Adduni Inniss, told the court that on the day in question, the complainant secured his home and went to bed, leaving the items mentioned in the charge on his wall divider. The next day, the complainant awoke to discover that the items were missing. A report was later made at the Mabaruma Police Station, and an investigation carried out. The accused was later arrested, told of the crime and admitted to committing the act.

When asked by the magistrate how he got into the home of the complainant, the defendant stated that he was with another boy who went into the home while he was told to guard the outside. He added that when the boy came out of the house, he had a watch and a gold ring. They later went to the boy’s residence, where he was given $10,000.

Prior to sentencing the accused, the magistrate stated that what he did was wrong, and that the nine months he would have previously served seemed to not have help him. He was then sentenced to 18 months behind bars.

The magistrate’s parting words to him were, “I hope you would be a changed person when you come out.”

The court heard that Sampson served nine months in prison in 2017 for a similar crime.