A teenager who admitted stealing $9,000 worth of goods and cash from members of a visiting U-16 Oceania AFL team in December, 2010, received an 18-months suspended sentence and was ordered to spend 120 hours of community service picking up rubbish.

'Aisake Mausia (16), a Form 4 student of Tonga College, appeared before Justice Robert Shuster at the Supreme Court in Nuku'alofa on April 8, for sentencing.

He was represented by counsel Sifa Tu'utafaiva submitted that Mausia was remorseful and wanted to stay in school.

The court was told that Mausia had stolen AUD$150, NZD$30, three digital cameras and other goods together with a co-accused Maamaloa Fangupo (16), who had also pleaded guilty to similar offences.

Crown Prosecutor Eunice Moala told the judge that only some of the stolen items were recovered.

Justice Shuster in his sentencing told Mausia, that aggravating factors against him was the fact that he went and stole from visitors who came to Tonga to play sport.

He said mitigating factors were that he was only 16-years-old and had pleaded guilty at the first opportunity. "You have accepted responsibility and are remorseful", he said.

Epidemic

Justice Shuster commented that theft and housebreaking charges had become an epidemic in Tonga. "Times are hard and that is why crimes have increased a lot I am sure," he said.

"But that is absolutely no excuse for stealing property of people, including people who come from overseas to play sport in Tonga. You get one chance with me, only one," he told Mausia.

Justice Shuster imposed an 18 months imprisonment sentence that he suspended in whole, for three years.

A condition of the suspended sentence is that Mausia remains on good behavior and must carry out 120 hours of community service by picking up rubbish at the beach and at the Queen Salote Wharf.

His co-offender, Fangupo was remanded in police custody until April 15 after failing to comply with the court's order to see the probation officer for a pre-sentence report required for his sentencing.

The crime was committed during the AFL U-16 Oceania Championships held at 'Atele from December 13-20, last year featuring eight teams from Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Tonga, Samoa, Vanuatu, Nauru, Solomon Islands and New Zealand.