The Tribune

By PAVEL BAILEY

Tribune Court Reporter

pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A MAN was sentenced to six months in prison yesterday for receiving $47.36 worth of aerosols over the Father’s Day Weekend.

Sonny Brown, 33, appeared before Assistant Chief Magistrate Carolyn Vogt-Evans on charges of attempted stealing, receiving and unlawful possession.

On June 18 at the Quality Supermarket on East Street South, Brown is alleged to have attempted to steal five air fresheners - three Febreeze and two cans of Lysol at a total value of $47.36.

While Brown initially pleaded not guilty to the charges before reversing his plea to guilty after explaining the situation to the court, the magistrate only logged a guilty plea for the receiving charge.

The court elected to withdraw the remaining two charges against him.

This is because the accused told the court the store was extremely busy during the pre-Father’s Day rush and that he left the goods by the entrance to retrieve money from his car.

Brown further claimed that it was only after a security guard recognised him from a previous grocery store theft that he was branded a thief and arrested for the offence.

It was revealed in court that the accused does have prior offences.

As such, the nagistrate accepted Brown’s guilty plea and sentenced him to six months in the Bahamas Department of Corrections for the offence.

The accused has seven days in which to appeal Magistrate Vogt-Evans’ ruling.