Barefoot thief jailed for stealing sneakers

A HOMELESS man who broke into a house and stole a pair of sneakers told a magistrate today that he did so because he was barefoot and had no money to buy sneakers.

For his crime, Lester Joseph, 54, was sentenced to six weeks with hard labour in jail by magistrate Adrian Darmanie in the Chaguanas First Magistrates' Court.

Darmanie read the charge that on Friday Joseph stole the Air Nike sneakers, valued at $600.

Joseph pleaded guilty to the charge, laid by acting Cpl Haresh Bacchus of the Cunupia Police Station.

Prosecutor Sgt Wayne Waite told the court that at about 9.30am a neighbour saw Joseph leaving the garage of his neighbour's home on the Southern Main Road in Cunupia carrying a pair of a red, white and black sneakers. The prosecutor said the neighbour contacted police, who found Joseph wearing the sneakers. They arrested and later charged him.

"I didn't have anything to wear on my feet, your honour," Joseph told the magistrate today. "I am not a delinquent. I am changing."

The magistrate told Joseph that that was not an excuse for stealing.

He said the maximum sentence for the offence is six months' imprisonment, but he took into consideration that Joseph pleaded guilty and the sneakers were recovered.

The sneakers were produced to the court and the magistrate ordered them returned to the owner.

Police took Joseph to begin serving his sentence.