CHARLESTOWN, Nevis – THREE youths of Cotton Ground Village appeared in the Charlestown Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday (June 3) and pleaded guilty to taking a vehicle without the owner’s consent and larceny of an electric pump and 10 play-station DVDs. One of the men, 19-year-old Antonio Hutton, also pleaded guilty to driving without insurance and a license.

Magistrate Yasmine Clarke heard that on May 25th, 2009, Francine Hakim of Mount Lily left her vehicle - P6129 - at Cattle Long Path after one of her tires was punctured. She went to St. Kitts via the Sea Bridge and returned at 7:00 p.m. on the same vessel and went straight home.

Shortly after midnight on May 26th, officers on patrol in Cotton Ground saw the three youngsters in the village with a bag. The youths ran and the police pursued and captured them. A search revealed the DVDs with the owner’s name and the pump. After being cautioned, the men accompanied the police officers to the vehicle which was hidden in some bushes.

The men were taken to the Charlestown Police station where they were arrested and charged. The owner later identified the vehicle.

After they pleaded guilty, Hutton, also known as Dollar, was sentenced to one year for larceny and six months for each of the other three charges. The driving charges will however run concurrently, so he will serve two years in jail.

Eighteen-year-old Damien Powell, called Darvis, was sentenced to six months for each offense and they will run consecutively. He was also reminded by Magistrate Clarke that she told him not to appear before her again when he was in court a few weeks previously.

Twenty-one-year-old Jaramie Jeffers, called JJ, was the lucky one. He was spared a custodial sentence but fined $2 500 for each charge. The fines must be paid within six months or he will spend six months in prison.