THE COURT of Appeal has issued a writ for 30-year-old Junior Christie to serve his three-month prison sentence for stealing 45 pods of ackee last year at King's House.

Christie's appeal against his sentence on the grounds that it was excessive was set for hearing on Monday, but he absconded bail.

There was a public outcry when Senior Resident Magistrate Judith Pusey sentenced Christie after he pleaded guilty to praedial larceny. The ackee was valued at $350.

Howard Hamilton, QC, who represented Christie on appeal, told the court that the surety was a Good Samaritan. He said the surety did not know Christie before the incident. He asked the court not to make an order for the surety to pay the $30,000 in the bail bond and the court complied.

Hamilton said he was going to argue that Christie had never been given a chance in life, but president of the Court of Appeal, Seymour Panton, said that was not true.

Justice Panton disclosed that from the record, Christie had eight previous convictions, six of which were for dishonesty, and he got suspended sentences five times. The judge said there were persons who were ready to make comments when they did not know the circumstances.

barbara.gayle@gleanerjm.com