Young man takes boss’s vehicle without permission, gets into accident

A 23-year-old man said he wanted to see how downtown looked on Sunday afternoon which is why he took one of his boss’s vehicles without permission and ended up getting into an accident. 

Devorn Pierre found himself before the Kingstown Magistrate’s Court (KMC) charged with two offences. 

He admitted guilt to using motor vehicle R6679 without the consent of the owner or any lawful authority. Further, that on the same date, in Bay Street, he drove the said vehicle without due care and attention.
 
The vehicle R6679 belongs to the owner of Prime Auto SVG which is located opposite Randy’s bakery along the Nelson Mandela Highway. The business deals with car wash and rental services. 

Pierre, a Campden Park resident, is employed with them on Sundays for detailing services. Last Sunday he arrived at work at 1:00p.m, and the owner told him to watch over a vehicle. 

His employer then took another vehicle and went to pick up others. When he returned he did not see the jeep, and called Pierre, inquiring about the vehicle. He told the young man that he did not give him permission to take the jeep, and asked him to bring it back.

While waiting, the boss received a call from the police to say that Pierre was in custody and had been involved in an accident. This caused the employer to have to make a report to the police. 

It was also determined that the young man was driving without due care and attention when he got into the accident. 

When asked why he committed the act, the defendant responded that he just wanted to see how downtown looked. 

“It was the last Sunday before Christmas…I was not in town but I was aware as to the number of persons that were in town, you agree with that? So that is a factor as well. Kingstown was busy yesterday I understand…” Senior Magistrate Rickie Burnett commented. 

The judicial officer also reasoned that if he had wanted to see how Kingstown looked he could “…walk down and you go and see.”

When it came to sentencing the magistrate emphasised that the capital was busy and the outcome could have been different. 

The defendant agreed that he knew that it could have been worse. 

The court imposed a fine of $300 for the offence of using the vehicle without consent, and Pierre was told that he could pay this immediately.
 
For driving without due care and attention, he was fined $1000 to be paid by February 28, defaulting which he will spend two months in prison. 

Furthermore, he has been disqualified from holding or obtaining a driver’s license for the next six months starting from the date of sentencing. 

Burnett told the young man not to do it again, and he replied “Yes your honour.”