Cocaine has been like an albatross around Rickie Anderson Hoyte’s neck.
“I have tried on many occasions, on previous occasions to get help and I have not been successful,” Hoyte told the District “A” Magistrates’ Court on Thursday.
“There is no one out there to see me through the recovery process and society is twice as hard,” he declared.
However, his eloquent pleas for drug rehabilitation did not move the court and the many-time convicted thief was jailed for a total of 21 months.
The 51-year-old vagrant had just confessed to stealing three boxes of Seven Seas Joint Care, three boxes of Haliborange grape, four bottles of Haliborange lemon and two boxes of Seven Seas Omega 3, worth $623, belonging to IMart Inc. on October 27, as well as stealing three bottles of Glucosamine, six bottles of Haliborange and two containers of Seven Seas Cod Liver Oil, valued $348, also from IMart, on September 1.
He had also pleaded guilty to stealing bottles of Glucosamine and vitamins, worth $239, from Massy Pharmacy, on September 12, and $324 worth of lotions and tubes of Seven Seas vitamins, also from Massy Pharmacy, on October 1.
After he had apologised to the “parties involved”, Hoyte revealed that he had been abusing cocaine for a number of years.
“I have been in this position for many years, 31 years,” he said.
Shoplifting, he explained, was to support his drug habit.
“There are times when I have appeared before the court and been given prison time,” he said.
“I have been given fines, and the fines were paid, and I ended up doing the shoplifting to support my drug habit and I am still with my drug problem hanging over my head,” he told the court.
Hoyte continued he was using his latest court appearance to beg for a chance and to ask for professional help “which would see me through my recovery process”.
“I am not a bad person,” he submitted.
“I am not a violent person. I have no history of violence whatsoever. I believe I at least deserve a chance for help,” he said.
Magistrate Kristie Cuffy-Sargeant convicted, reprimanded and discharged him for the Imart offence committed on October 27.
The magistrate, however, jailed him for 12 months for the second IMart offence; nine months consecutive for the first Massy Pharmacy offence and nine months concurrent for the second.
Prosecutor Sergeant Cameron Gibbons, said the thief was seen, on footage from the closed circuit cameras, stealing the items. Police were informed, Hoyte was brought into custody, interviewed and arrested. (HLE)
