PHILIPSBURG–A 31-year-old drug addict was sentenced to six months suspended, on three years’ probation and sixty hours of community service for mistreatment, theft and destruction. Also, the defendant will have to submit himself to Parole Board guidance, undergo mandatory treatment at Turning Point Foundation and follow Aggression Regulation Training.
Suspect Franklyn Lake of Sucker Garden was found guilty of having mistreated his sister and grandmother on March 17. He was also found guilty of having broken into Courtyard restaurant in Philipsburg, where he had stolen US $145 from the cash register. The Court also found it proven that he had destroyed the access door to The Grand Smoker’s Lounge on August 28, but no items were taken from the establishment.
The Prosecutor considered all charges, including inflicting severe bodily harm on two members of the family proven, for which he demanded six months suspended, on three years’ probation, with 120 hours of community service and Parole Board guidance.
The Prosecutor said the defendant deserved punishment. “We are not baking cookies here. We are not here to just help someone, but also to punish.”
The suspect, who was not present for his hearing, had confessed to the charges of theft and destruction. He had also confessed to the police that he had been in a fight with his sister and his grandmother while under the influence of cocaine.
According to the Prosecutor’s Office, he had hit his sister with a rock, damaging her head, eye socket and teeth. His grandmother, who had tried to intervene, was slapped.
According to attorney-at-law Zylena Bary severe mistreatment could not be proven as the images of the injuries were insufficiently clear.
The Judge said that the defendant has become a thief to provide himself with drugs and has turned violent to persons in his direct environment. However, because the photographs of the injuries were insufficiently clear, the Judge only found mistreatment proven.
Source: The Daily Herald https://www.thedailyherald.sx/islands/91810-drug-addict-sentenced-for-theft-destruction-and-mistreatment
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