Climbing through an unsecured bathroom window of a Maxwell, Christ Church home and making away with $34,000 worth of property and assaulting a resident, have added three more convictions to the 104 already on the records of David O’Brien Best.
The convict, of no fixed of abode, pleaded guilty to two counts of burglary and indecent assault before Madam Justice Jacqueline Cornelius admitting to entering the home of Jeffery Lipton armed with a knife and stealing two watches, one ring, a microphone, BDS$1,150, US$700, £500 and €350, wit a combined total value of BDS$7,367. That offence was committed on September 5, 2017.
On that same date he entered the same residence armed again with a knife and stole six rings, nine pendants, 19 pairs of earrings, four watches, 11 chains, six watches, 11 bracelets, two cameras and four watches approximate value $26, 770 belonging to Louis Kean – Lipton’s wife.
Best who was 48 years old at the time of the offences also pleaded guilty to indecently assaulting Lipton on the same date.
His 26-year criminal record features offences including 88 burglaries, two firearm offences, assaulting and resisiting police and cocaine possession, committed between 1992 and 2018.
Crown Counsel Neville Watson told the court that Lipton secured his home and left for work. He returned sometime after 4:30 p.m. and retired to bed about 11:45 p.m. Lipton however got up again and made a check to ensure all was secured before returning to bed. He woke up to an unusual sound between 2:30 and 3 a.m. and there was a light shinning in his face although the lights in the house were off. He then realised that a man was in his bedroom. He tried to get up from the bed on seeing this but was “forcefully” pushed back.
“Don’t say a f****** word, don’t look at me. Where is your money?” the intruder asked Lipton as he pushed the victim to the ground, covering him with a sheet and walking about the house searching.
Continuing to read the facts of the case, the prosecutor went on to disclose that the searching went on for about 30 minutes with Best asking Lipton where he kept his money all the while telling him to keep his mouth shut. He subsequently left and Lipton called the police. The homeowner discovered the items missing after making a check of the house.
From CCTV footage Best was developed as a suspect and brought in.
Asked about the stolen items, Best replied: “Well Sir I understand the currency and thing but the jewellry I have no knowledge of . . . Mr Lipton jewellry I know nothing about.”
He told police that the knife was either left at the victim’s house or discarded and he had used the money he stole to buy “mostly food and buy drugs”.
The convict also told also police he had covered Lipton with the sheet as he was “half naked . . . I believe the bottom part”.
He added under questioning, “I got in the house through the bathroom window that was open because it had no burglar bars . . . and left through a door.”
During the questioning lawmen also asked Best whether he had rubbed the complainant’s “bare buttocks” with his hands and asked him a personal question concerning him and his wife. He answered “no” and “hell not” when asked whether he has grabbed the man’s penis and told him ‘not to worry’ you would try not to hurt him.
Justice Cornelius ordered a pre-sentencing report and a report from the prison on Best’s time spent on remand. Best informed her that he had another burglary charge in the Oistins jurisdiction which he would like the High Court to take into consideration.
Crown Counsel Watson said he would look into the matter and an October 10 date was given for the file and Best to return to the No. 5 Supreme Court on that case.
In the meantime, he has been given a November 28 date when the other reports are expected in prepartation for sentencing.
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