By NICO SCAVELLA
Tribune Staff Reporter
nscavella@tribunemedia.net
TWO men and two juveniles were sentenced to one year at the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services and the Simpson Penn Centre for Boys after admitting to either breaking into, stealing and/or dishonestly receiving merchandise from three private schools in New Providence.
Dwayne Nottage, 21, and 19-year-old Dameko Nottage of Marshall Road were both sentenced by Magistrate Carolyn Vogt-Evans after pleading guilty to various charges stemming from the theft of hundreds of dollars of various merchandise from St Anne’s High School, Kingsway Academy and St Augustine’s College (SAC) earlier this month.
Two 16 year olds were each sentenced to a year at the Simpson Penn Centre for Boys after being charged with Dwayne and Dameko Nottage, or both in the case of one with shopbreaking and stealing. One of the minors was charged with three separate counts of shopbreaking and stealing concerning each school, while the other was charged with two counts each of shopbreaking and stealing concerning just SAC and Kingsway Academy.
Dwayne Nottage, before being sentenced, suggested to Magistrate Vogt-Evans that community service would be a more suitable punishment for his crimes as opposed to prison, submitting that an individual’s personality has the potential to change drastically upon being sent to prison.
“Jail ain’t the best option for me, I rather seek for help,” he told the magistrate, adding: “Jail is change people life. I ain’t think that’s the best option for me.”
However, Magistrate Vogt-Evans scolded the four, particularly Dwayne, stating that as he was the oldest of the bunch, he “ought to have led them differently”.
“You know better,” she scolded as she addressed them all. “That behaviour is absolutely unacceptable. It will not be allowed.
“You cannot behave like that and not expect to be punished.”
Dameko Nottage and one of the 16 year olds, were each charged with two counts of shop breaking and stealing. It was alleged that between 9pm on January 7 and 7.30am on January 8, the two broke into and entered St Anne’s High School.
It was also alleged that around those same times on those same dates, being concerned together, the two stole one 32-inch JVC television, one 32-inch TCL television and one Panasonic boom box together valued at $544.98.
Dameko Nottage was also charged with dishonestly receiving one 32-inch JVC television worth $199.99 and one Panasonic boom box valued at $75 on January 19.
The two were also charged with breaking into and subsequently stealing from St Anne’s just days later. It was alleged that between 6pm on January 12 and 7.30am on January 13, they returned to St Anne’s, broke into the school and stole one 32-inch black Element television worth $199.99, the property of St Anne’s.
An individual named Charles Williams, 39, of Monastery Street, was charged with dishonestly receiving one 32-inch Element television worth $199.99, the property of St Anne’s. A warrant for his arrest was issued by the magistrate as he was not present during the arraignment.
Dameko Nottage pleaded not guilty to the shopbreaking and stealing charges, but pleaded guilty to receiving. The 16 year old pleaded guilty to all counts of shopbreaking and stealing.
Dwayne Nottage, Dameko Nottage, and the other 16 year old were charged with shopbreaking and stealing, this time in connection with SAC.
It is alleged that the three, between 7pm on January 12 and 9.22am on January 13, being concerned together, broke into and entered SAC, and subsequently stole one 42-inch black Visio television worth $620, one Cable Bahamas cable box worth $225 and one black Dell central processing unit (CPU) worth $800, the property of SAC.
Dameko Nottage was further charged with dishonestly receiving one 42-inch television worth $620.
Dwayne Nottage and the 16-year-old pleaded guilty to both shopbreaking and stealing. Dameko Nottage pleaded not guilty to shopbreaking and stealing, but guilty to receiving. As a result, the Crown withdrew the charges of shopbreaking and stealing against him.
Dameko Nottage and both 16 year olds were further charged with shopbreaking and stealing, but this time in connection with Kingsway Academy.
It is alleged that between January 7 and January 8, being concerned together, the three broke into Kingsway Academy and stole three black speakers together valued at $50, the property of Daria Wilson.
Dameko Nottage was charged with dishonestly receiving the speakers.
The two 16 year olds pleaded guilty to shopbreaking and stealing. Dameko Nottage pleaded not guilty to shopbreaking and stealing, but guilty to receiving.
Due to the various charges, to which they each pleaded guilty, Magistrate Vogt-Evans sentenced the two 16 year olds to the juvenile correction centre for one year, on condition that they continue their education while there. Both Dwayne and Dameko were sentenced to prison for the various charges for which they pleaded guilty.
A trial date of February 21 was set for both Dameko Nottage and one of the 16 year olds, due to the former’s not guilty pleas to the multiple shopbreaking and stealing charges against him concerning St Anne’s and Kingsway, and the latter’s not guilty plea concerning Kingsway Academy.
The two were remanded in the interim.
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