After stealing nearly $700 worth of deodorant from Massy Supermarket, a 51-year-old put an end to years of keeping his hands clean.

Clint Lockhart of Rose Place pleaded guilty at the Kingstown Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday, to stealing 37 Gillette gel roll-ons from the Kingstown store, worth $691.95EC.

He has a criminal record but all of his previous convictions occurred so long ago that they are considered spent, and not considered by the court in sentencing him.

This Saturday, January 23, Lockhart was observed by a Loss Prevention Officer employed with Massy, named Trimmingham. The 51-year-old was behaving in a fidgety manner.

Trimmingham then told her supervisor, and he advised her to keep an eye on him as he checked the CCTV footage. The footage did not show Lockhart stealing anything at that point.

However, after exiting, Lockhart promptly re-entered the store, and stood in front of the pharmacy and scanned the aisles. He proceeded to aisle two, removed his backpack, placed the item inside, and then left. After the footage was viewed, Lockhart had already left the store.

A report was made to the police, and they later picked up the defendant.

The defendant claimed he didn’t take that quantity of roll-on, and that while he used to be making “trouble” for years, he now has a job and a child.

He has had his job for 11 years, and has been paid consistently on a fortnightly basis.

“I don’t have any explanation for what I do,” Lockhart claimed, and his voice appeared to become emotional when he said that he disgraced his family and that he is ashamed. He asked the court for mercy. He also promised he would not do it again.

He also said he was trying his best but did not know what got into his head.

However, Senior Magistrate Rickie Burnett was informed that the deodorants were not recovered, and that they had all been sold.

Since the defendant had been arrested, on Sunday, the magistrate observed that he had managed to find a buyer for it within hours.

He asked if he told the police who the buyer was, and the reply was that he had not.

Lockhart was wearing a mask and was not always audible, but it seemed that he claimed he sold the deodorant for $40.

Although the defendant’s voice appeared emotional at times, Burnett warned him “That thing called tears it doesn’t change me at all.”

“I look at what I have in front of me,” he said.

“…having stolen these items, you disposed of them and you got money for them,” the magistrate told him.

“He’s employed, he’s working, 11 years – he was paid in the month of January so far, he has an income… 51 years old,” Burnett listed.

“A man who is living in Kingstown, he reads newspapers, he would have seen articles where persons have been caught at Massy store, you would have known that Massy store has cameras,” the judicial officer continued, “What did you expect? I just can’t…I can’t understand these things you know?”

It was also pointed out that he had been scoping out the scene.

Just before sentencing Lockhart continued to ask for mercy, citing his job and benefits. “When you were stealing from Massy were you studying that? Answer me – when you were stealing from Massy were you considering losing your job and losing all your benefits?” Burnett asked him.

“It didn’t register,” the defendant said emotionally.

“Right, well it registering now,” the magistrate said.

In sentencing, Lockhart’s early guilty plea was considered, and that he had showed some remorse. He was treated as a first time offender.

However, the crime was aggravated by various factors including that he scoped out the scene, and also sold the items.

Nevertheless, the magistrate decided not to impose a prison sentence.

Compensation and a fine of $1000 must be paid by March 1, or he will spend three months and six months respectively. This is to be concurrent.