A man who had breached his suspension sentence from a previous conviction was imprisoned for two years and three months for serious housebreaking and theft of property, including electrical goods, worth TOP$15,200.
Shreds of evidence presented in court showed Siosaia Vatikani, 40, left a clear trail of fingerprints at the Nursing School at Vaiola Hospital in Nuku’alofa.
He pleaded guilty to one count of serious housebreaking and one count of theft.
He had previous convictions, which nailed his fate as the judge, Lord Chief Justice Malcolm Bishop, refused to consider whether or not to suspend the whole or part of his sentence.
“In your case it does not apply because you are not young, you have previous convictions and, in my view, have very little prospects to benefit from rehabilitation should I take that course” Mr Bishop said.
The prisoner breached a suspension from a previous sentence, which he almost completed before he left.
Mr Bishop said: “I order that the suspended sentence be activated which is a period of 3 months is be served consecutively to the 2 years remaining for this current matter”.
Vatikani “ is to serve a total of 2 years and 3 months imprisonment at Hu’atolitoli Prison”.
Mr Bishop also held the view that the prisoner’s spouse was adversely impacted by his acts of theft.
“What is particularly aggravating about this case is that the school facility in question is related to your wife’s employment as a nurse and therefore must have caused her considerable embarrassment and distress”.
