St. John’s Antigua- The young man responsible for a recent spate of building break-ins and larceny in the Sutherlands and Old Parham Road areas will spend at least 10 months behind bars.
Twenty-two-year-old Patrick Tittle pleaded guilty to six counts of breaking and entering and larceny as well as possession of 15 grammes of cannabis seeds.
Police recently made headway in the cases after almost five months of investigation.
According to the man’s neighbour, Denise Matthias, on April 13, May 10, August 1 and 29 she secured her home and left for work.
On each occasion, when she returned, her house was broken into and some possessions were missing. From the four occasions, the items taken included jewellery, a 21-inch television, Nintendo Wii, Coby radio and CD player, Lazanic radio and CD player, electricity transformer, transistor radio, Sony walkman and charger, cell phone and a black jacket. The items collectively are valued at more than $12,000.
Matthias reported the break-ins to police and since the first incident in April, lawmen have been investigating.
On September 2, Shawn Hopkins, a secretary at Christ the King High School, made a police report that she locked and secured the cafeteria with several cases of drinks in it, and upon her return more that a dozen cases were missing.
Acting on a tip, officers obtained a search warrant for Tittle’s home and discovered the missing drinks and some of the items from Matthias’ house.
During the search officers also found four bags of cannabis seeds which weighed 15 grammes with an estimated street value of $150. When shown the items, the young man told police, “Ah herb seed.” He was arrested and charged for the six offences after he admitted he was responsible for the break-ins.
The 12 cases of drinks and the items belonging to Tittle’s neighbour recovered in his house were photographed and returned to the owners. However, the jewellery and Nintendo Wii valued at almost $5,000 were never found.
In his plea for leniency, Tittle’s attorney Steadroy Benjamin asked the court for a light sentence considering the first-time offender’s guilty plea.
“His feelings towards his (blind and) ailing grandfather caused him to do these horrible things. When asked why he did it, he couldn’t say. I’m asking the court not to give consecutive sentences. His grandfather is terminally ill and he was just misguided,” Benjamin said.
The accused was told to return the next day, while Chief Magistrate Joanne Walsh contemplated sentencing.
“What I can’t get over is the fact that he is moving the stuff from his neighbour’s house to his,” Walsh said in her sentencing statement the next day.
“I’ve considered the story about him having to care for his grandfather, but nothing is wrong with him mentally. He is a young man and he continually breaks into his neighbour’s house. That is torment and I want you to pay that lady (Matthias) $5,000 in compensation,” Walsh said.
Tittle was sentenced to two months on each count to run consecutively and ordered to pay compensation for the missing items by month’s end or serve an additional eight months at Her Majesty’s Prison. He was reprimanded and discharged for the cannabis seeds possession.
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