Busted over beer

An “honest mistake”.

That’s how Emerson Orlando Maynard described the circumstances which led to him appearing in the District ‘A’ Magistrates’ Court yesterday morning.

The 41-year-old bar proprietor of Nelson Street, St Michael, was charged with dishonestly receiving 36 bottles of beer valued at $96, belonging to Baywatch Limited, knowing or believing them to be stolen sometime between October 20 and 21, 2019.

And while he pleaded guilty to the offence, he told Magistrate Joy-Ann Clarke he believed the story of the man who sold him the drinks.

“This has never happened to me before. The fella came to me dressed in a uniform from the same establishment and told me he had a party and he had some drinks left back. The drinks were cold so I believed him,” the first-time offender told the magistrate.

“It’s only when the police came and spoke to me that I was made to understand that the fella was on drugs and that he stole the drinks.”

Following a meeting with the probation officer it was determined he would serve 160 hours of community service and would return to court on February 12, 2020.

Earlier, prosecutor Sergeant Vernon Waithe told the court that police received a report of a burglary.

They received other information which led them to Bounce Back Bar in Nelson Street which is owned by Maynard.

Investigations were carried out and the accused admitted to purchasing the drinks. The drinks were eventually recovered.