A man who stole 13 dozen ackees from the campus of the University of the West Indies was sentenced to 30 days imprisonment in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court on Monday.

Dwayne Blincholm, who was charged with praedial larceny, received the sentence after he failed to convince the court to consider otherwise.

The accused explained to the court that he did not steal the ackees intentionally but acted spontaneously after he was passing by the tree and saw them.

Nonetheless, Senior Resident Magistrate Judith Pusey explained to the accused that praedial larceny has become too rampant in Jamaica and the practice has to be eliminated.

She then explained to the accused that statistics have shown that when all separate acts of praedial larceny are added up, it cost the Government millions of dollars in losses from farmers.

While the matter was being heard, there were scattered comments across the courtroom in regards to the charge.

Two persons were overheard saying "a hungry him did hungry".