Chester Allen, 33, a labourer who was caught stealing Red bull and other items of grocery at a wholesale in Santa Cruz, St. Elizabeth was yesterday sentenced to six months hard labour in the Santa Cruz Resident Magistrate's Court.

Resident Magistrate Evan Brown who found out that Allen had five previous convictions and not three as he told the court when he last appeared last month, told the accused he hopes he finds the sentence useful.

The court was told that on February 14, 2007 about 8:30 a.m. the accused went into the Agro Pak wholesale in Santa Cruz plaza where he stole a Red Bull drink, Colgate toothpaste and a Listerine mouthwash.

It's alleged that he was caught with the items in his pockets by the store supervisor while he was leaving the store.

He told the court then that he had no previous conviction, but Detective Chaplin Reid informed the RM that the accused had two previous convictions for the similar offence last year.

The RM thank Det. Reid and another policeman Constable Stephen Williams, from the Santa Cruz Police Station, for their insight and expedience in informing the court of the other offences the accused man had committed.

The court heard that in 1990 Allen was convicted on ganja charges and in 1992 he was convicted of wounding charges.