Sep 8, 2010
British teen jailed 9 months
By Elena Chong
Grant Callum Pearson, who was sentenced to 9 months imprisonment. -- PHOTO: SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE
A YOUNG Briton who committed a series of offences while on probation was jailed for nine months on Wednesday. Grant Callum Pearson, 17, had pleaded guilty last month to one count of mischief by smashing the side window of a car and four charges each of theft and criminal trespass in mostly the eastern part of Singapore.
He was out on police bail for fraudulent possession of a CashCard when he committed 31 offences, mostly with two other teens between March and May. The other two have since been charged. Twenty-three other charges were taken into consideration during his sentencing. Last month, the prosecution highlighted several aggravating factors when it sought a jail term for Pearson.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Andrew Tan said the teen was being investigated for fraudulent possession when he absconded and went on a spree of house trespass with intent to steal and damaging vehicles. Pearson said he had learnt his lesson and begged the court then not to send him for reformative training. District Judge Ch'ng Lye Beng had called for both probation and RTC reports.
Pearson was found unsuitable to continue his probation but fit for reformative training. But since he had no one here to supervise him after his release from RTC, the judge sentenced him to three months on each charge. The nine months' jail was backdated to his remand on May 22.
