BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - Two men who appeared before the Basseterre High Court yesterday (June 26) for sentencing were set free, one with caution and the other with a fine.
Kemron Murray and Dale Hazell appeared before His Lordship Justice Errol Thomas for sentencing, after completing a Social Inquiry Report; Murray having been found guilty and Hazell who pleaded guilty to the charges that were laid against them.
Murray was on May 9 unanimously found guilty of housebreaking and larceny; an offence he committed on April 29, 2011.
At sentencing Murray was not given a custodial sentence but was instead cautioned by the Court.
According to the facts of the case, sometime between 12:30 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. on that day, Murray broke in and entered the dwelling house of Mansfield James from which he stole a number of canned foods.
The items stolen were one tin corned beef, one tin salmon, one tin Vienna sausage, one tin baked beans, one tin sliced carrots and one tin apple juice, all to the value of EC$50.
Murray was unrepresented at trial and opted not to testify on his own behalf or call witnesses to give evidence.
Justice Thomas told Murray if he were to commit a felony within the next 12 months, he would be brought back before the Court and would be given a custodial sentence for this offence.
He was then set free.
Similarly, Hazell was not given prison time. He was, however, instructed to pay a fine of EC$2 000 in the next six months.
Justice Thomas cautioned Hazell that if he does not pay the fine by the time stipulated, he would serve two years in prison.
Hazell was originally charged with one count of burglary, one count of larceny and one count of receiving.
He was said to have broken into a home in the Frigate Bay area on February 10, 2012, and stolen a black and silver Dell laptop, US$280 and EC$70.
He however pleaded guilty to the receiving charge and had the other two charges dropped.
He, too, was set free after receiving his instructions.
