ENRICK TELESFORD, one of two men charged with receiving a stolen Government-issued Hewlett-Packard (HP) laptop, was sentenced to nine months hard labour yesterday.
Telesford, 18, of Sixth Avenue, Malick, Barataria pleaded guilty to the charge when he first appeared in court on November 22 along with Santa Cruz resident, 27-year-old Tacey Johnson.
In passing sentence Magistrate Anna Ryan told Telesford that a "hands off attitude" must be taken when it comes to the stealing of the laptops, which were issued to Form One pupils having completed the Secondary Entrance Assessment (SEA).
"Persons should be deterred from going after their laptops," Ryan added as she ordered that Telesford be sent to jail and the computer returned to the 12-year-old First Form pupil of the Barataria South Secondary School.
Telesford, who represented himself, told the Magistrate that he was "truly sorry" adding that if given a second chance he would go out there and support his family and "mine my step-child".
In his statement read out to the Magistrate by Court Prosecutor Sgt Rawle Ramharrack, Telesford, a CD vendor said that he was approached by another man who asked for his help in selling the laptop. Telesford complied and was paid $200 out of the $900 he sold the black HP laptop for.
Telesford and Johnson, an Information Technology technician, were charged with receiving the computer on November 5 – one day after the pupil was robbed in San Juan as he made his way home from school. Johnson, who pleaded not guilty, would return to court on December 6.
The men were charged by PC Ralph Ramroop of the Barataria CID who was commended by Ryan for his diligence and good work in arresting the men and recovering the laptop.
Another man is expected to appear in court later this week charged with receiving the laptop after he surrendered to the police yesterday. The 17-year-old from the San Juan area would be placed on several identification parades before he is charged.
