Bag grabber jailed

In the wee hours of July 12 when “all law-abiding people who were not on duty” were asleep a 57-year-old landscaper crawled through the living room window of a woman’s house.

Anthony Bernard Herbert, of Well Gap, Cave Hill, St Michael took a bag and its contents worth $140 from the residence after he pulled a garbage can, placed a block on top of it and trespassed in the house of Lee-Ann Dawe around 3:30 a.m.

He was seen committing the act and the police were called in. He fled the scene at Grazettes Gardens, St Michael when police arrived but was subsequently caught.

Around 6 a.m. the same day lawmen returned to the location and found a black handbag on the outside of the residence near a guard wall. A further search around Dawe’s property discovered a yellow pair of slippers and the can used to enter the house. She identified the items as hers.

Outlining the facts Station Sergeant Peter Barrow disclosed that Herbert admitted to removing the handbag from the property and leaving it behind in a attempt to evade police. He also admitted that the slippers belonged to him and explained where he took garbage can and the block from which he used to gain entry to the house.

“It is not a pleasure to renew our acquaintance,” Chief Magistrate Christopher Birch told Herbert while pointing out that the accused’s criminal career began as far back as former head magistrate Frank King.

“I was working towards looking to get these charges expunged,” said the well-known convict who went on to say that he was being “pestered for some money that I owe someone.”

Herbert then asked for leniency and mercy.

“Where was your leniency and mercy for that woman? At 3:30 a.m. when all law-abiding people not on duty should be asleep . . . where was your leniency and mercy then?” Chief Magistrate Birch asked as he sentenced Herbert to 12 months in prison.