Thief behind bars for the Crop Over season

Tremaine Michael Stuart will not be able to participate in Crop Over events this year, after pleading guilty to theft in the No. 1 District ‘A’ Magistrates’ Court.

His admission that between July 12 and 13, he stole eight boxes of floor tiles valued $920 belonging to Kara Trading, breached a six-month bond to keep the peace imposed on him by Magistrate Manila Renee on May 17 in Court No. 2. At that time, the magistrate informed him that if he was convicted of any charge before November, he would have to pay a $250 fine immediately or spend one month in prison. Stuart did not have the funds.

Chief Magistrate Ian Weekes ordered him to spend a month behind bars for the tile theft, to run concurrently with the term for the breach.

“It is Crop Over time, and it is necessary to protect people and their property as they enjoy themselves. So you will stay out of the way while other people are partying,” Weekes said.

The court heard from Station Sergeant St Clair Philips that the business sells building materials. On July 13, the owner discovered several tiles on the property grounds, and upon reviewing CCTV footage, the accused was identified. Stuart told police officers that he carted the tiles away in a Sanitation Service Authority garbage bin.

Saying he saw the tiles when he was “moving round”, Stuart apologised for his actions, adding, “I promise I will never let anything so happen again.”