Another young offender before the court charged with burglary and theft has escaped a jail term but was warned against reoffending. 

A 19-year-old student of Don Bosco Technical Institution was the latest teenager given a second chance to do right by the Supreme Court. 

He pleaded guilty to two counts of burglary and two counts of theft, the offending has a maximum penalty of 10 years imprisonment. 

The charges against the student arise from two separate incidents where he first broke into his former employer’s apartment in Vailima in November 2023. 

He stole the tenant’s electronics including two cell phones, a shaver, air pods, shoes, and other items with a total value of $1,565. 

The tenant reported the missing items to the landlord and the teenager was suspected of being involved after he was seen wearing shoes similar to the ones stolen. 

The second incident occurred in Vailima where he broke into another property and stole electronics, elei shirts, and a necklace to the total value of $500 tala. 

The teenager was subsequently charged and admitted to probation he was under the influence of alcohol. 

He is the first offender to have completed the Salvation Army psycho-education program to address the impacts of alcohol on his offending. 

The prosecution recommended a custodial sentence with a start point of 12 months followed by a term of supervision. 

Supreme Court Justice, Fepuleai Ameperosa Roma in his sentence considered the cases cited by the prosecution and mitigating factors in favour of the young offender. 

Justice Roma told the defendant he has sentenced two other offenders of his age to a jail term of two years for the same offence as him.

“Many others have gone before them, and I will have no difficulty doing the same if you come back for these offences,” said the Justice.

“So the simple lesson for you is ‘do not reoffend.”

The teenager was convicted on all four charges and sentenced to 16 months supervision with the condition that he complete 80 hours of community work under the direction of the Probation Service. 

Attorney General’s Office lawyer, Helen Apisaloma was the prosecutor and defendant was unrepresented.