Pirate given 3 years

Lawson Pierre will not have to worry about his picture being taken by the media for the next three years, as he would be safely protected behind the walls of her Majesty’s Prison.{{more}}

As police officers escorted Pierre from the Kingstown Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday, after Senior Magistrate Donald Browne sentenced the Union Island man to three years imprisonment on a burglary charge, Pierre shouted, “Don’t take me picture, way yuh want me picture fa?”

The 18-year-old pleaded guilty to entering yacht “Kapuera” on May 16 at Clifton Union Island and stealing US$2000 and Euro 220 belonging to Manfred Moosletiner of Austria.

The Court heard that Moosletiner and his family came to the country on vacation and were staying on their yacht, anchored off Union Island. On the date of the incident, Moosletiner took his family ashore on a dinghy to have dinner. When he returned, his yacht had been ransacked and he noticed money was missing.

The matter was reported to the local police and investigations carried out led to Pierre’s arrest. The court heard that while he was in the police station, Pierre asked if he could use the washroom, when an officer observed him taking some money from his pocket and attempting to throw it in the toilet. Of the missing money, only US$500 and Euro 35 Euros were recovered.

The Magistrate administered a serious tongue lashing to Pierre, telling him “People come to SVG to enjoy the scenery, our waters and they help with tourism. When young vagabonds like you do something like this, I have to make an example of you,” Browne said sternly.

Pierre has previous convictions of a similar nature.