3 years for trying to steal vehicle

Mark Conorquie

Forty-six year old Mark Conorquie, who was caught red handed stealing a government vehicle assigned to Director of Human Services Ava Pennil on December twenty-third, 2010, was today sentenced to three years in prison after being found guilty of wounding the driver of the van, Edwardo Perez.  While attempting to take the vehicle Conorquie was subdued and detained by Perez who was injured during a scuffle with the culprit.  According to police, Perez was bitten on the right finger and punched in the eye as Conorquie tried to escape from the scene.  In court this afternoon Conorquie maintained his innocence despite testimonies from Perez and Pennil claiming that he was rifling through items inside the dashboard when he was caught.  In his defense he told the court that he never entered the vehicle to steal and that he was only looking for somewhere to sleep when he was attacked and badly beaten.  Following Conorquie’s statement Chief Magistrate Ann Marie Smith told him that she did not believe his account after which she handed down a guilty verdict on both charges.