Twenty seven year old Shane Young, a laborer of Hattieville with heart and kidney problems, appeared today in the Magistrate's Court and pleaded guilty to theft for stealing twenty dollars which he said he stole to pay for his dialysis treatment.
Magistrate Emmerson Banner told Young that a custodial sentence would not be appropriate because he would not be able to get his treatment. So he fined Young five hundred dollars and gave him until June 30 to pay. If he defaults on payment he will serve 6 months.
The theft occurred on April 29 at the KHMH. Young said he went to the hospital for treatment and while he was there he stole a wallet containing twenty dollars that was on a desk. The wallet was the property of Ernest Dominguez, a taxi driver. Young was caught with the wallet.
He began to experience heart problems and he was admitted to ward. He was discharged from the hospital today and taken to court and charged. Young said he has no family to help him and he cannot work because of his heart and kidney condition. He said he has to get dialysis treatment once each week and each time he has to pay sixteen dollars.
