PE pawnbroker fined R40000

A PORT Elizabeth pawnshop owner was fined an effective R40000 after pleading guilty to buying a stolen iPad and then trying to burn it in an attempt to destroy evidence.

Don Mildenhall, 32, who owns Don's Pawn Shop in Commercial Road, Port Elizabeth, pleaded guilty to being in possession of the iPad which was stolen during a burglary in Framesby last year.

On Monday, the Uitenhage Regional Court convicted Mildenhall under the Prevention of Organised Crime Act and fined him R80000 of which R40000 was suspended for five years. He was fined a further R20000 or six months' imprisonment, suspended for six months, for defeating the ends of justice.

He was arrested in February last year after Deon Verster, of Framesby, whose house was burgled in the same month, traced the signal of his stolen iPad to Mildenhall's home in Pongola Park, Uitenhage.

According to Mildenhall's plea and sentence agreement, he admitted to buying the stolen iPad and a Sony PlayStation.

It said he bought the goods at his pawnshop while he ought to have suspected they were stolen.

"When the police came to his residence ... he knew the iPad was to be an exhibit in a criminal case and attempted to destroy the iPad by setting it alight ... ," the plea statement said.

State advocate Martin le Roux welcomed the sentence, saying it was a satisfactory plea agreement to get any conviction under the Organised Crime Act.

The maximum sentence Mildenhall could have received was a fine of up to R100-million or 30 years' imprisonment.

Mildenhall's lawyer, Danie Gouws, said they were satisfied with the outcome.

"This case was set down for trial. However, we managed to come to an agreement before it got to that stage," he said.

"The bottom line is that if you take the maximum sentencing into consideration, this is a good plea agreement. Usually, for defeating the ends of justice alone, there is direct imprisonment." - Gareth Wilson