BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – JOSH CAREY and Valentine Eddy were fortunate they were not given more time for housebreaking and larceny at their sentencing today Oct. 13 at the Basseterre High Court.
The two pleaded guilty to housebreaking and larceny at their arraignment on Sep. 22, after they were caught in the act by the home owner Winston DeFreitas.
The incident occurred on April 13, 2011 at DeFreitas’ Conaree home.
DeFreitas who was out and returned an hour later found the two boys in his home and when he asked what they were doing there they did not answer.
He then told them to wait as he called the police and one of the accused started walking toward him. He told them that he had a licensed gun and DeFreitas said that Carey showed him a knife in his waist.
DeFreitas said he didn’t want to shoot anyone but the guys kept walking toward him and so he shot Carey in his leg.
When the police arrived and apprehended the two men, DeFreitas noticed a number of stuff missing including a laptop, cell phone and a hunting knife.
The number of items totalled to the value of EC$6,984 00.
Eddy’s girlfriend and mother of his two sets of twins with another set of twins on the way, Natalia Pennyfeather said she has known Eddy for eleven years and been with him for nine.
She said that while she is at work, Eddy takes care of their children and gets them ready for school.
When asked if they had anything to say before they were sentenced, an 18-year-old Carey said he was wrong for going into DeFreitas’ home. He said that he got shot in his leg and was asking for leniency.
It was revealed that Carey has several convictions at the juvenile court asked to be put on a bond or given a fine.
His social inquiry report also revealed that on the outside he appears quiet and harmless.
Eddy, who is 25, said he too was wrong to go into DeFreitas’ home and asked for leniency so he can be there for his children and grandmother.
He also said he knows he could be a better man and has twin girls and twin boys and two more twins on the way.
He said that he worked at the Marriott Hotel in construction and also sells jelly and goes fishing to try and make a living.
According to Eddy’s social inquiry report which was prepared by Wingrove George, Eddy does not seem ambitious and wants to better himself.
“A man who claims to have three jobs should not entertain thoughts of housebreaking and should have been to at least one of those jobs at the time of the incident,” the report stated.
Eddy also has no previous convictions.
“I have considered pleas for leniency, it is one thing for a person to steal because they were hungry and a bond could be considered, but to go into someone’s home after they have spent thousands to secure their home, this is not in the same category,” His Lordship Justice Errol Thomas said.
“The court is aware of the children and you should have thought of that before going into someone’s home to steal.”
According to the law since they both pleaded guilty to the crime a third of their sentence will be deducted.
Justice Thomas said that his original sentence would be five years each with a 20 month reduction, therefore they will spend 40 months in prison and time on remand will go to their sentencing.
