Latest update February 20th, 2025 12:39 PM
Shot thief sentenced to 18 months
A known thief, who was shot twice in the leg by a man whose property he removed items from,
Carlos Grant
was yesterday sentenced to 18 months imprisonment.
Carlos Grant, who appeared before Magistrate Hazel Octive-Hamilton for the offence of simple larceny, to which he was not required to plead, admitted that he stole articles valued $76,000 from the home of the complainant, Patrick De Freitas.
The accused informed the court that a bail application was useless since he had no one to bail him.
“I will plead guilty to the charge.”
Prior to his admission, Grant heard that on January 28 at Waterloo Street, he went into the yard of the complainant and stole one bicycle, 30 cases of empty bottles and a car battery, all totaling $76,000.
The prosecution explained that on the day in question De Freitas was at home about 01:30 hours when he heard a noise coming from the back of his yard where the bicycle and the other items were stored.
The prosecutor said De Freitas went to investigate the source of the noise and found Grant standing in his yard. According to the police, the De Freitas apprehended Grant and made checks to the yard where he discovered that the aforementioned items were missing. De Freitas then handed the suspect over to the police at the Brickdam Station where charges were instituted. None of the stolen articles was recovered.
The court asked Grant to say something in his defence or to give an answer to the information presented by the police.
Grant presented an altered version of the police’s facts that indicated his innocence of the crime. He told the court that he at the time had followed a friend to buy marijuana that was being sold in the house behind the complainant’s. The defendant continued that as he exited the court he heard a gunshot ahead of him in the same direction the friend had headed. Grant said after this he turned around and saw De Freitas who then shot him twice in the leg.
The gathering at the court, obviously puzzled by the man’s guilty plea, murmured, and the court had to inform Grant that a guilty plea could not be entered if he is claiming that he did not commit the offence. He was frankly asked, “Did you steal this man’s belongings?”
In a low and childlike manner the defendant bowed his head and answered “yes” The court was then informed that the defendant was no stranger to the court since he had committed similar offences in the past.
The magistrate then handed down the sentence and as the man hopped out of the dock, she advised him that he use his detention time for reflection, while cautioning that he aim to lead a good life since the next time the bullet could cost him his life.
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