‘I did it’

He asked for help for drug addiction but Her Majesty’s Prisons at Dodds is where 49-year-old Livingston McDonald Trotman will have to get the assistance he believes he desperately needs.

The Storey Gap, Codrington, St Michael residence was again before the District ‘A’ Magistrates’ Court today after being assessed at the Psychiatric Hospital for the last few weeks on his suitability for one of the island’s drug rehabilitation programmes.

However, reading from a report from doctors at the mental health institution, Magistrate Kristie Cuffy-Sargeant informed Trotman that he was not a suitable candidate for those programmes.

The report, according to the magistrate, stated that Trotman’s motivation to enroll in drug rehabilitation “does not originate from true insight into his addiction [or] to change his lifestyle” but it was driven by other motives which were not compatible to participating in a drug rehabilitation programme.

“In this life people don’t give you a chance when you really need one. I have never gotten a chance,” said the accused. The magistrate explained that was not the truth.

Trotman pleaded guilty to the charges that he burglarised K and D Healthy Start located at One Accord Plaza and stole $3 belonging to David Stuart. He also admitted to stealing $717.50 in snacks belonging to Confectionary Snacks Limited (CSL). The offences were committed between January 13 and 20, 2019.

Trotman said: “I know the only way I can get help is if I come clean. I am 49 years man.”

The magistrate however made it clear to the accused that he could only plead guilty to the charges only if he did the crimes.

“Yes ma’am I did commit the offences,” he responded even though the magistrate also reminded him that he was not going to be placed in a drug programme.

In the matter involving K and D Healthy Start, Trotman smashed a concrete block through the window as well as a glass case and took the money, which was in a container. He was caught on CCTV and his figure print was also found at the scene. He stole the snacks from a CSL vehicle while it was parked.

For those crimes he will spend eight months at HMP Dodds. Trotman has already spent one month on remand which will be credited to the sentence. He was also ordered to follow the drug rehabilitation programme at the prison.