There was laughter in the court when a mentally challenged man, who was arrested for shoplifting a box of oats and a loaf of coconut bread from a Corporate Area supermarket, told the court that he went shopping and forgot to pay for the goods.

Jason Morrison, 27, was arrested and charged with simple larceny after he went to a Kingston branch of Hi-Lo Supermarket and tried to steal the two items on May 14.

On Friday when Morrison appeared in court, he admitted to taking the goods but told Judge Pusey that he has a memory problem when asked why he had stolen them.

“It wasn’t like that. I was shopping and me, being forgetful, I didn’t realise that I didn’t pay for them,” he said, amidst laughter from the court.

The judge then asked Morgan what other items he had bought and he told her, much to the court’s surprise, that he did not buy any other goods, eliciting more laughter from the court.

“I have a memory problem,” he said, and when asked to expound he said, “I slightly forget.”

“So how you know to come to court today?” Judge Pusey asked.

Morrison, in reply, said that his family had reminded him about his court appearance.

The judge, after learning that Morrison’s father had accompanied him to court, summoned the elder Morrison who told the court that his son had a mental problem and was an outpatient of Bellevue Hospital.

Morrison’s father also told the judge that his son had not been taking his medication and was on the street at the time of the incident.

However, he told the court that Morrison was now on medication and had another appointment.

The judge then made a no-order ruling and advised Morrison’s father to ensure that his son takes his medication and request that a nurse at Bellevue does a monthly house visit.