Court gives chance to repeat offender

A repeat offender who said he wants to break his drug habit has been given the chance to complete a residential rehabilitation programme rather than immediately face a year in prison.

St Elias Charles, a 55-year-old cleaner of King William Street, The City, had previously pleaded guilty in the No. 1 District ‘A’ Magistrates’ Court to stealing a $329.99 bottle of perfume from Barbados Duty Free on May 2, stealing a $95 ham from BJ’s Value Mart trading as Popular Discount on May 21, and a $99.99 speaker valued from Unicomer Trading on May 30.

Charles told the court that he had never had the opportunity to receive drug rehabilitation and requested to do so. He was remanded and a psychiatric report was ordered.

Pointing to that report, Acting Chief Magistrate Douglas Frederick outlined its recommendation that Charles be placed in a residential programme at Verdun House.

After the court was informed that he had been accepted into the programme, Frederick said: “We are taking a chance on you. We don’t ever give up on people. Some people will say ‘Man he just trying to trick the system’. We can never know but we will give him the chance.”

Ordering Charles to complete the programme, the magistrate warned that if he breached the order he would be imprisoned for a year.

Charles told the chief magistrate: “Sir, you explained something to me last time and I took it into consideration and I studied it in the cells down there. What you tell me makes sense so the opportunity you give me, I will try to put it to good use.”

“Grab it with both hands and good luck,” Frederick replied.

The case was adjourned until November 2.

(JB)