Church thief says he 'need to go a road' but judge sends him to prison instead

A Portmore man, said to be of unsound mind when off his medication, was slapped with a two year and six months prison sentence on Thursday after breaking into a church twice and stealing a keyboard and Bluetooth speakers.

Robert Barnett, otherwise called 'Mogo', of North Edge Water Avenue in St Catherine, had earlier pleaded guilty to one count of sacrilege and one count of housebreaking with intent.

The court heard that Barnett targeted the Portmore Missionary Church on two occasions in September 2025. During the first incident on Sepprisontember 13, he reportedly broke in and stole a keyboard, two Samsung Bluetooth speakers and other items.

But less than two weeks later, on September 24, Barnett returned to the church and again gained illegal entry. This time, however, his luck ran out as he was caught and handed over to the police.

When he appeared before Senior Parish Court Judge Desiree Alleyne for sentencing on March 19, 2026, his social enquiry report painted a troubling picture.

"From this report the community said nothing good about you, in fact your family said that without your medicine, you have even threatened to burn their house," Alleyne told him.

The report noted that although Barnett has a history of mental illness, he was deemed fit to plead.

Despite begging the court for a non custodial sentence, saying, "I want to realise my dream, so a need to go a road," the judge was not persuaded.

Barnett was sentenced to two years and six months imprisonment. The judge also recommended that he be housed in the psychiatric wing of the St Catherine Adult Correctional Centre.

- Rasbert Turner

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