(Jamaica Observer) Kingston, Jamaica – A repeat offender who pleaded guilty to stealing a malfunctioning iPhone he had sold to a student was slapped with a sentence of nine months in prison when he appeared in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate’s Court recently.
Twenty-tow-year-old Kemario Williams of a Sandy Park address in Kingston 6, pleaded guilty with explanation to the charge larceny by trick.
Reports are that on November 2, Williams sold a defective cellular phone to the complainant then offered to fix it.
Williams allegedly took the phone and did not return.
When he appeared in court, he told Senior Resident Magistrate Judith Pusey that he had been hospitalised.
“I had blood clot in my lungs,” Williams said. “I had an appointment at Kingston Public Hospital from seven until four.”
According to Williams, he gave the complainant four telephone numbers at which he could be contacted.
However, he told the court that the numbers were not working.
The complainant told the court that he, along with his father, made several attempts to contact Williams who later blocked him on social media website Facebook, when he tried to enquire about the cellular phone.
The court was told that Williams was nabbed after the complainant reportedly signed into his father’s Facebook account and contacted Williams as a prospective buyer.
“You could have 100 sickness, you shouldn’t take the phone,” Pusey said.
“How long you should go to prison for? If you are that sick you shouldn’t take people phone. So, why you block him?” Pusey asked.
Pusey told Williams that he could go to prison for five years.
Williams started crying.
“How many times you get in trouble before?” Pusey asked.
Williams told the court that he previously served three months for a similar matter.
“Leave your fingerprint and stay with them for nine months,” Pusey said.
Williams dropped himself to the ground and shouted these words: “Jesus Christ! Please your honour.”
“The answer is no,” Pusey replied.
Williams fell to the ground in an attempted to resist being taken into custody.
Pusey told Williams that if he continued to resist arrest, an additional three months would be added to his sentence.
Williams subsequently stood up and complied with police officers.