The juvenile, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was charged with two counts of simple larceny, one count of going arm in public and one count of larceny from a person.
He committed the offences twice on April 13, 2010, once in February 22, 2010 and on August 7, 2008.
This includes stealing of money from a person, a carton of Solomon Blue taiyo the property of Leong Gin store and a shirt belonging to a person.
His lawyer Nigel Galo of the Public Solicitor’s Office during mitigation told the court that his client left school in grade 2 as he is affected by epilepsy.
The accused said though his parents wished him to continue his education he refused as the illness affected him during classes, which is an embarrassment to him.
“The parents engaged their son to make him busy by selling goods,” he said.
Mr Galo however said he does not have the medical report with him now since the mother said the medical report is with police since the arrest of his son.
The juvenile’s mother was present in court yesterday.
Apart from that, the court was told the accused is a good boy but makes the wrong decision when out with peer groups.
Mr Galo quoted a line from a case authority that states custodial sentence is the last resort when dealing with juveniles.
The property stolen has already been returned to the rightful owner or has been kept for exhibition.
Principal Magistrate Mekeo Gauli told the boy that if he does not want his mother to pay for his fines he should stop following his friends’ unlawful activities.
Mr Gauli ordered the boy to stay out of trouble for one year.
Boy to be tried over assault
A MAGISTRATE yesterday entered a not guilty plea for a boy charged with common assault.This was after the boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, told the court the alleged victim punched him first during the incident.
The 17-year-old juvenile is charged with one count of common assault, simple larceny, larceny from a person and possession of marijuana.
The court recorded guilty pleas for the other charges.
The offences were in relation to incidents on various dates and months this year and once last year.
The boy was said to have unlawfully assaulted anther man and in another indent stole 24 ladies under-wear and 150 liters of dazzle bleach from Sunflower shop in Honiara.
In yet another incident he was alleged to have stolen $70 belonging to Mary Chaow and last year was found possessing marijuana.
He pleaded guilty to all four charges but the court later entered a not guilty plea for the common assault charge after he told the court that the victim punched him first.
His parents did not appear yesterday in court but a Social Welfare worker did.
Principle Magistrate Mekeo Gauli adjourned the matter to August 2 this year for mention and to fix a trial date for the common assault charge.
Stanley Aupai of the Public Solicitor’s Office is representing the accused.
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