'I stole from my boss because he doesn't pay me enough'
SENIOR Resident Magistrate Judith Pusey last week sent a stern message to all employees hauled before the courts for stealing from their employers, that poverty would not be accepted as an excuse for their actions.

Pusey gave the warning as she sentenced a man, Kavon Clarke, in the Half Way Tree Resident Magistrate's Court, after he pleaded guilty to pocketing monies for food he delivered to customers on behalf of the restaurant for which he worked.
Clarke also pleaded guilty to covering up the thefts by ripping from the restaurant log the receipts accounting for his deliveries.

Clarke's excuse was that he had been overworked and underpaid in the eight months he has worked at the restaurant and he needed the money to supplement his small pay.
"I have to cut up meat, cook food, take orders, make deliveries. I'm supposed to leave work at 4:00 pm but I don't leave till later. Then sometimes I have to charter a taxi to reach home and I don't have the money," he said.

Judge Pusey, however, was not impressed by Clarke's statement.
"You cannot justify stealing people's money. If you are in a job that does not pay you, leave it and move on," she declared. "I don't earn enough but I cannot go over to the police station and steal some of the fines," she added.
Pusey then sentenced Clarke to 200 hours of community service for the offences, 100 hours for each offence. However, in handing down the sentence the judge noticed a sheepish grin on Clarke's face.

"You think this is funny, think it is a joke?" she asked. "You know you can go to prison for three years for each offence?"
Clarke, standing in the dock, quickly straightened up and wiped the grin from his face. After staring down Clarke for a brief moment, Pusey then opted to maintain her initial ruling.

- Vaughn Davis

Alleged ATM killers to have their day in court on Nov 17

FO U R of the six youths, including two teenage girls, charged in the 2005 murders of financial analyst, Jamie Lue and Jamaica Aids Support Unit employee Steve Harvey have now settled the matter of legal representation.

The six are to return to the Home Circuit Court on November 17, by which time the other two are expected to retain the services of attorneys.
Charged with the November 2005 murder of Harvey, 30, are Andre West, otherwise called Dwayne, 19; Duane Owens, 23; Trishana Spence, 19; a 17 year-old girl; and Rhyan Wilson.

Harvey was abducted from his Duhaney Drive, Kingston 20, home by gunmen and later found dead on Pinewood Terrace in Kingston on W ednesday, November 30, apparently for his ATM card which was taken along with other items and his stolen motor car. The vehicle was later found parked at the football field on Markland A venue in Grants Pen, St Andrew.

Owens, West and Lynford Allen are charged with the December 2005 murder of Lue, 25, a financial analyst employed to Alliance Capital Limited.
Lue, who lived at Orange Grove in Stony Hill, St Andrew, was abducted, robbed and killed - and his body found in the back of his Honda CRV along Mayfair Avenue, at the foot of Beverley Hills on December 31.

The accused, who are all from an area called Vietnam in the inner-city community of Grants Pen, were arrested on January 12 this year during a police operation which cops said turned up two hand guns, clothes, suitcases, jewellery, cell phones and watches belonging to the two victims.
The stolen ATM cards of Lue and Harvey were used to withdraw money from their bank accounts. The accused are said to be part of a group who targeted ATM card holders.

Court date today for accused killers of gas station owner

TH E three accused murderers of businessman George L G Brown, and his fiancée are to return to the Home Circuit Court on November 6, when their case is set for mention.
The date was set last week for Brown's former helper, Sandra Watt, and coaccused Donald Whyte to retain lawyers. On a previous court appearance W att was offered $150,000 bail.

Attorney Dr Randolph W illiams represents the third accused, Peter Dugal.
The three are accused in the 2005 shooting death of Brown, former head of the Jamaica Gasolene Retailers Association and owner of the Esso gas station at the corner of Constant Spring Road and Dunrobin Avenue in Kingston, and businesswoman Sandra Campbell.

The two were murdered at Campbell's home on Stilwell Road in Stony Hill, St Andrew, on June 5.
Dugal was later arrested after being injured during a shoot-out with the police in Grants Pen, St Andrew, and Brown's 9mm pistol found on him. His arrest led to that of Watt.

Whyte was nabbed this year at 6 Love Lane in downtown Kingston.
- Paul Henry

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