A man has been sentenced to 18 months in prison for stealing a bag from tourists whilst they swam at Valley Church Beach, while his co-accused walked free after charges were withdrawn.

Damien Henry pleaded guilty to the theft before Senior Magistrate Ngaio Emanuel this morning, while his co-accused Terry Williams denied the allegation.

The case stemmed from an incident at Valley Church Beach on Tuesday, December 2, when two tourists had their bag stolen whilst swimming. Beach security personnel contacted the Bolans Police Station around 1:30 pm after witnessing a young man take the visitors’ bag and flee the scene in an orange Honda Fit.

Officers from Bolans and Johnson’s Point police stations mounted a coordinated response and successfully intercepted the vehicle at Johnson’s Point with both Henry, aged 24 from Bathlodge, and Williams, aged 20 from Nut Grove, inside. Police recovered the bag and all its contents during the stop.

Both men were arrested and charged with larceny from the person. However, only Henry entered a guilty plea whilst Williams contested the charge. The charge was withdrawn against Williams.

In determining Henry’s sentence, Senior Magistrate Emanuel considered several mitigating circumstances. Henry was a first-time offender who had cooperated with police throughout the investigation, and the stolen items had been recovered intact. These factors worked in his favour during sentencing.

Working against him, however, were aggravating elements that made the offence more serious. The crime had been committed against a tourist in broad daylight, circumstances which the court viewed unfavourably.

The maximum penalty for the offence is three years imprisonment. Magistrate Emanuel applied a standard one-third discount to Henry’s sentence in recognition of his guilty plea, which reduced his custodial term by one year from the starting point.