WESTERN BUREAU:

A man who stole two bottles of rum, which he said he planned to sell to finance treatment for his eyes, was remanded in custody when he appeared before the Montego Bay Resident Magistrate's Court on Tuesday.

Duray East of a Clarendon address, who now resides in Ironshore, St James, where he works as a gardener, pleaded guilty to simple larceny charges.

He explained to the court that he was in a desperate state and he stole two bottles of rum from a supermarket.

East told Resident Magistrate Vivienne Harris that he has an eye condition and needed money to get treatment. According to him, his only intention was to sell the rum so he could get the money for medication.

However, RM Harris ordered him to remain in custody and requested a copy of his police record for his sentencing on January 11, 2010.

The court was told that on December 19, East went into the Strand Street Supermarket in downtown Montego Bay and picked up a bottle of Pepsi, a bulla and the two bottles of rum. It is said that he paid for the Pepsi and bulla, but placed the bottles of rum in a bag and tried to walk past the security guard.

He was held and searched and the goods recovered. The police were subsequently called in and East was arrested and charged.