"alleviate its suffering'', was put on probation for a year.

Jerkeyo Berkeley, of Alexandra Road, Devonshire, admitted wilfully causing the suffering, pain and injury to a dog when he appeared in Magistrates' Court last month.

On May 16, several people on Robert's Avenue in Devonshire heard the cries of a puppy coming from near the Devon Lane School.

They arrived on the scene to see a boy trying to chop off a puppy's tale with a mattock, a heavy hoe-like tool.

But at his sentencing Monday duty counsel Miss Elizabeth Christopher pointed out that Berkeley was not the one who actually did the cutting.

When Senior Magistrate the Wor. Will Francis pointed out that Berkeley was the oldest one there, Crown counsel Ms Nita Grewel said: "The other boys were just under 16. It just so happens that Berkeley had turned 16.'' Ms Christopher pointed out the other boys had yet to be sentenced.

Berkeley had spent the previous weekend in the Co-ed Facility.

Mr. Francis said: "There are times he should know certain kinds of behaviour are not tolerated and there are times when he should be in custody for his behaviour. I gave him a little taste of what he will get if this behaviour continues.'' DECOUTO DEFENDS DECOUTO IN COURT CTS DeCouto defends DeCouto in court Lawyer and MP the Hon. Ann Cartwright DeCouto on Monday defended her 19-year-old son who was charged with speeding.

Douglas DeCouto, of Grape Bay Drive, Paget, pleaded guilty in Magistrates' Court to speeding at 73 kph on McGall's Hill in Smith's Parish.

Mrs. DeCouto told Senior Magistrate the Wor. Will Francis her son "threw himself at the mercy of the courts''.

"It was 8.20 a.m. and he was going to his summer job at the Biological Station,'' she said. "I attribute the offence to rank inattention.'' Mr. Francis fined him and disqualified him from driving for 12 months, "limited to motorcycles''.

"I could have fined you $300 but it will be $200 bearing in mind your age,'' Mr. Francis told Mrs. DeCouto's son.

TEENAGERS CAUGHT TRYING TO STEAL BIKE CTS Teenagers caught trying to steal bike A social inquiry report was ordered for two boys who admitted trying to steal a cycle.

Desmond Trott, 17, of Sea Wall Drive, Sandys, and Keith Lavar Hollis, 16, of Red Kiln Road, in Hamilton Parish, on Monday pleaded guilty in Magistrates' Court.

Police prosecutor Sgt. John Dale said the owner parked his cycle outside of his residence on Woodbourne Avenue in Pembroke shortly after 9.30 p.m. on June 28.

Police on foot patrol later noticed two boys by the cycle.

"One boy sat on it and the other removed the side panel and was trying to remove the battery and engine,'' Sgt. Dale said. "They claimed they were repairing the cycle.'' A neighbour came out of her house and said the cycle did not belong to the boys.

Senior Magistrate the Wor. Will Francis released both Trott and Hollis on $500 bail with a like surety.

ALABAMA' JAILED FOR HOUSE-BREAKING CTS `Alabama' jailed for house-breaking A 54-year-old St. George's man began serving an 18-month prison sentence last week for breaking and entering, theft, and intruding on woman's privacy.

Alvin (Alabama) Anderson, of Old Wells Lane, had pleaded guilty to the charges in Magistrates' Court last month.

A St. George's woman awoke to find Anderson standing at the foot of her bed, holding his genitals.