By Tashieka Mair, Star Writer

WESTERN BUREAU

A St. James man who stole a laptop computer from his friend's house started the New Year on a sour note when he was sentenced to six months imprisonment on Wednesday.

Twenty-two-year-old Roswell Thomas, a construction site worker of Farm Heights, was sentenced after he pleaded guilty to larceny from the dwelling when he appeared before the Montego Bay Resident Magistrate's Court.

"Thing hard pon mi," was what he told the police when he was held with the stolen item which was later identified by the complainant.

RM Wilson Smith told the accused that he had betrayed his friend's trust, before sentencing Thomas.

The court heard that on December 21, 2007, the complainant was speaking to the accused and mentioned that he had forgotten to lock up his house and said he had left his girlfriend's Toshiba laptop computer in the house. On hearing this, the accused man left.

'When the complainant went home he discovered that the laptop was missing.

The following day, police, on patrol in the Porto Bello area, saw the accused walking with a bag. He was stopped and the bag was searched and a computer found.

He told the police that he got it from his aunt. However, his aunt denied this claim. Subsequently, he admitted that he had stolen the computer from his friend and was taken to his friend's home. His friend identified the computer as that of his girlfriend that was stolen the night before.