The Tribune

By PAVEL BAILEY

Tribune Court Reporter

pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A MAN was sentenced to three and a half years in prison yesterday after breaking into a convent and stealing $2,370 worth of gardening and landscaping equipment.

Deon Davis, 43, stood before Magistrate Kendra Kelly on charges of shopbreaking and stealing.

Between 8.30pm on July 5 and 8am on July 6 Davis unlawfully entered the grounds of Saint Martin’s Convent on Nassau Street where he stole a $650 Poulan Pro weed wacker, a $775 Stihl weed wacker, two cutlasses valued at $30, two rakes valued at $70, a $250 red Milwaukee trolley, a $185 porter cable grinder, a $185 Makita drill and a $225 Stihl leaf blower.

Davis admitted to the offences after his arrest for the break-in and indicated to police where he sold some of the items. He also explained that he only received $50 for the $775 weed wacker.

In court, the accused pleaded guilty to both charges.

After Davis heard and accepted the facts of his case as stated by the prosecution, he explained to the court that he only stole from the convent because he was broke and knew where the valuables were kept.

The prosecution then revealed that the accused had antecedents of a similar nature, with prior stealing charges dating back to 2001.

Although Davis claimed he wouldn’t commit another crime like this, Magistrate Kelly pointed out that in addition to his extensive history of theft he had just been released from custody.

The accused was only let out of prison on June 9 after three years in custody for another theft.

The magistrate further admonished Davis’ action saying that he didn’t even make it a full month on release before returning to crime.

In view of this, the magistrate sentenced Davis to two years in custody at the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services for the shop-breaking charge and three years and six months for the stealing charge. These sentences are to be served concurrently and are based on the accused’s extensive criminal record.

During Davis’s prison sentence he is expected to attend drug counseling classes after he told the magistrate that he struggled with cocaine addiction.

Before being told of his right to appeal the Court’s decision within seven days, Magistrate Kelly expressed her hope that Davis is successful in therapy and becomes a productive citizen.