They say desperate times call for desperate measures, and according to Kevin Simmonds, it was in desperation that he stole three live chickens from a moving truck along Molynes Road.

Simmonds pleaded guilty to simple larceny in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court yesterday.

The facts are that on March 12, at about 8:15 a.m., an officer who was on patrol noticed a truck laden with crates of live chicken travelling along Molynes Road, heading towards Half-Way Tree. While the truck was in a line of traffic, Simmonds went up to the back of the truck and pulled out three chickens. He then went across the road and placed them in a plastic box. He also went back to another chicken truck and tried to take two more chickens.

When the officer tried to apprehend him, Simmonds ran. He was chased and held and the chickens were recovered. When cautioned, he reportedly said, "Officer, mi naw work and mi a look a food."

When he appeared before Resident Magistrate Judith Pusey, Simmonds told the court that he had not eaten for the entire weekend and he was not sure what came over him. He said, "As a God, Your Honour, mi nuh know wha tek ova mi dat morning."

Although he begged to be allowed to pay a fine, he was sentenced to 30 days' imprisonment at hard labour.