Linden youth ordered to attend Security Strengthening programme

Magistrate Clive Nurse on Wednesday ordered a Linden youth who pleaded guilty to break and enter and larceny, to attend a Security Strengthening Programme, organised by the Ministry of Public Security.

Michael Samuels, 18, made his second appearance at the Linden Magistrate’s Court where his probation report was presented. According to prosecution facts, on Monday, December 5, he broke and entered the home of Ron Innis at West Watooka, Wismar, Linden, and stole an Xbox 360 CD valued $20,000, a screw driver set valued $15,000 and $21,000 in cash.

The court heard that Innis returned home to discover the articles missing and Samuels was later discovered with the items in his possession. Innis told the court that while the articles were recovered, the cash was not.

Previously, when asked by Magistrate Nurse whether he wished to have the matter tried at the Linden Magistrate’s Court or the High Court, Samuels chose the former. He told Magistrate Nurse that he has no parents since they died when he was younger.

In a string of conflicting reports, he noted that he has been living by himself since he was 12, then changed his story, noting that he is living with his sister. A probation report was then ordered by Magistrate Nurse.

When the case was called again on Wednesday, Samuels admitted that he made a mistake and stated that he did not know why he committed the offence.

Following the probation report, Magistrate Nurse made the decision to give him an opportunity, noting that he is to attend the programme for three years, beginning January 2017.

Extending a strict warning, Magistrate Nurse told the defendant that failure to complete the programme will carry a default sentence of nine months imprisonment.