BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – VERNON ‘CHICO’ SIMON’s mile-long criminal record preceded him earlier today at his sentencing hearing and may have been one of the main causes for the seven-year prison term he was sentenced to serve.
Yesterday (Mar. 17) at the Basseterre High Court of Justice, Simon appeared before His Lordship Justice Francis Belle having pleaded guilty to one count of “burglary” on the previous day.
According to the facts of the case, during the early morning hours of May 25, 2008, Simon broke into a dwelling place in Ponds Pasture with intentions to commit a felony.
Specifics of the case are that at about 10:00 on the night of May 24, 2008, the virtual complainant secured her home and retired to bed. She awoke at about minutes to 4:00 a.m. and saw the accused standing in her bedroom wearing nothing but a pair of “chequered boxers” which was pulled down leaving his genitalia exposed.
The accused left the premises and the virtual complainant contacted the police and lodged a complaint.
The specifics further indicate that she found a machete, a shirt and a pair of ‘draggers’ on the outside of the house and reported the find to the authorities.
During his sentencing hearing, Simon offered a lengthy and impassioned entreaty to the court, making frequent mention of his one and only child who he wants to have an active hand in raising.
Simon told the court that at the time of the commission of the offence, he was dealing with a situation involving his girlfriend and felt “stressed out like I was losing my head”.
He said when he was arrested his girlfriend visited him in prison and cleared up the situation. He further explained that she told him it is her wish that he assists her with the child because she is unemployed.
Simon made mention of the current upsurge in gang activity in the Federation and explained to the court that it is important for him to play an active role in his child’s life, so as to reduce the likelihood of the child becoming involved in gang activities.
By his own admission, the convicted man has “been in trouble for the same thing over and over again”, but pleaded with the court to have mercy on him in passing sentence. Simon begged for a non-custodial sentence, citing “it will be tough on me to go into prison at my age”.
He also said, “I don’t like prison at all,” and explained that although he has previous convictions, “I would like to go back into society and I will be a changed man because I have a kid to look for.”
In response to his plea, Justice Belle reminded Simon that he has 21 previous convictions for offences similar to the current one, and also for drug-related and offences of violence.
His Lordship said while he heard the convict’s plea, “Your record speaks louder than your words...You are not the kind of person I can trust out on the streets. I can’t trust you.”
Simon was sentenced to serve seven years at Her Majesty’s Prison with hard labour.
