Burglar tells court cocaine ‘messes me up’
(CNS): A George Town woman was given a three and half year prison term Thursday, after she appeared in court in relation to two burglaries last year, fuelled by her drug addiction. Sarah Day (45) told the court how sorry she was for her crimes but said the “cocaine messes me up”. Day was sentenced in connection with two incidents, one where she entered the home of an elderly woman whom she knew through an open door and stole $60 and soap powder, and a second where she got into a house and was found by the resident stealing beer from the fridge.
The crimes were described by prosecutors as home-invasions, but Day was also charged with possession of a small amount of cocaine. As her story unfolded before the court, it became apparent that her long history of some 26 previous convictions for dishonesty and theft, including eight burglaries, in addition to the most recent charges was due largely to her addiction problem. Social workers assessed that she has a very high risk of re-offending, and that she began using drugs and alcohol at a very young age after both her parents died before she was 15.
Day told the court that she was really very sorry about what she has done to the community and didn’t mean to be any trouble.
“The cocaine really messes me up,” she said, adding that she was still hurting every day about her parents. “But I am really trying to do better,” she told the court, as she offered further apologies for what she had done .
As he passed sentence, visiting judge, Justice Greaves, said the burglaries were not major but were invasions of the homes by a woman who was ill by reason of her drug addiction. He said it was a very “sad case” to see her reduced to the circumstances she was in because of the drug abuse.
“Drug addiction is a terrible evil,” he noted, as he urged the prison to ensure she received intensive treatment and rehabilitation while there was hope that her life could be diverted from the course of crime that she had travelled for so long.
The judge said that, given her history and the circumstances of the latest crimes, she should serve five years but he reduced the term to three and a half years because of her early admissions. But the judge said he did not feel there was any need to make an additional sentence for the cocaine.
Justice Greaves also raised his concerns that the authorities were prosecuting people for consumption, as he had not come across the criminalisation of consumption before and queried why legislators felt it was still appropriate to punish the actual addition, which in the modern world is seen as a health matter.
“It is a strange offence,” he said, as he wondered out loud if there had been any consideration to removing the consumption offence. He said it seemed an “interesting dilemma to be locking people up” when what they needed was treatment.
I do not know her but she needs help. Jail will surely make her a better criminal
Now she will be in jail where it is well known drugs are always available.
So why do we wonder thst our jails are latgely occupied by repeat offenders?
Sarah was such a good girl in primary school.
Just because some people cannot handle a few rails should not stop the rest of us having fun.
“the most recent charges was due largely to her addition problem.”
Perfect example of why we need to improve the educational system!
(humour my sarcasm)
CNS: Oops! Thanks!
What does education has to do with being an addict? Don’t we have some of the most educated people addicted to all types of illegal activities?
Certainly better English teaching might improve the standard of comprehension to avoid non sequiturs like this post.
It’s all fun and games until you lose control… then you play the victim card.
People need to take responsibility for their actions!
Coke cracks me up
At last, a Judge who recognizes that incarceration is not the answer to drug addition, and actually voicing this from the bench. Of course, he is bound by local laws. When will Cayman legislators catch on and change the laws?
It may not be the answer to drug addiction but it is the correct punishment for her crimes!
I’ll bet you’ll sing a different tune when it’s your home being invaded, your hard-earned possesions stolen and your family members traumatized, raped, beaten or killed in the process of ‘feeding’ their addiction …
Do I sympathize? YES … for the victims, not these repeat offenders with dozens of ‘convictions’ who are allowed to roam our communities in search of their next victim instead of being incarcerated and taught how to become productive members of society.
She’s not the only person on the planet whose parents died when they were young. My cousins lost their mother and father within a very short period of time when both of them was still in high school. Neither of them are doing drugs. I’m sick of people making excuses for their drug use. Government send them to rehab and they come out doing the same thing. They need to want to change.