Man gets 18 months jail for smashing glass door

A man who police said claimed the devil made him smash the glass door of a businessplace has been jailed for 18 months. Emmanuel Brown, 27, was found guilty yesterday on the charge of store-breaking with intent by Magistrate Margaret Alert in the San Fernando Magistrates Court. Brown had pleaded not guilty.

On September 5 last year Ian Atherley, Plipdeco chairman and former San Fernando mayor, made a report at the San Fernando Police Station about his businessplace, Ian Atherley Insurance, being broken into. He said he made the discovery after 2 am and a check revealed nothing was stolen.

Constable Arnold Mendoza investigated and later that day went to the Mon Repos Police Station where he met the accused. Constable Nicholas Rampersad testified that around 2.15 am on that day he arrested Brown near Atherley’s businessplace after receiving a report.

When Mendoza cautioned the accused, he said: “Boss, I was walking along Circular Road when the devil take me and I take a stone and buss the door glass and I went in to eat a food and then I say I is a working man, I don’t have to do this.”

The magistrate rejected his story that he was passing through Circular Road to get to his home at St Clement when he was arrested. Noting that Brown had eight previous convictions, four of which were for larceny, she told him he was in the category of a seasoned criminal.