Ham thief jailed

Bridgetown.

David Nathaniel Blackman 52, of Indian Ground, St Peter, who was shot at Super Centre Supermarket on Monday after he was caught stealing hams confessed to stealing four hams,knicking down a door and slashing at the supermarket's chief of security of Fred Forde, in the District A Magistrates Court yesterday.

Initially, Blackman had pleaded not guilty but prosecutor Sergeant Rudy Pilgrim cited Blackman prolific antecedents for similar offences as the reason why he should not be allowed bail.

He admitted to stealing the hams but denied slashing at Forde with a knife:"I put the hams down and tell he I going but he shot me", Blackman told the court.

"When he shot me that is went I went through the door cause I was surprised. I surrendered then but he didn't want me to leave, so he shot me", Blackman said.

Magistrate Graveney Bannister noted that Blackman must be stealing hams to sell:"If he was stealing for himself he would stealing groceries, Bannister said

"I am of the view that a custodial sentence is neccessary and that he needs sufficient time for substantial counselling", Bannister told the court.

Blackman who was convicted in 2004 for stealing six hams from the same chain of supermarkets was jailed for three years.

Blackman, 52, of Indian Ground, St Peter was jailed for three years.