American charged with destruction of hotel property freed

An American tourist who claimed that fear drove him to destroy a toilet bowl and two louvre blades at a Montego Bay hotel had the charge of malicious destruction of property against him dropped.

The court ruling came after he – Stephen Palmieri – made restitution for the damages and apologised for his behaviour before the Montego Bay Resident Magistrate’s Court.

Some time after 4:00 pm on December 28, Palmieri allegedly began to act in an unusual manner while at the hotel. He was later seen with two golf clubs and had to be restrained by a security officer who locked him inside a bathroom before alerting the police.

On their arrival, lawmen reportedly heard loud banging from a bathroom and when Palmieri was taken out, they observed that the toilet bowl, four glass louvre blades from a window and a door had been damaged. The damage was estimated at $12,000.

Palmieri was later taken to the Cornwall Regional Hospital where he was admitted to the psychiatric ward for a mental disorder. He was subsequently arrested and charged for malicious destruction of property.

Hotel employee on larceny charge

Alvin Simpson, a maintenance engineer at the Wyndham Rose Hall Hotel in Montego Bay, is to reappear before the Montego Bay Resident Magistrate’s Court later this month after he stole from a couple at the hotel.

On Christmas Day, Marshall and Pattie Post securely locked their valuables, including US$2,960, in a safe at their room and left. But when they returned later, they discovered that cash and a camera valued at US$500 were missing. They reported the matter to a security officer at the hotel and the police were called in to investigate.

Based on information received from the couple, the lawmen requested a search of Simpson’s locker and conducted a search of his person. Master keys for the door and an electric safe opener were reportedly found inside his wallet.

Allegations are that US$1,920 was also found on his person.

He later admitted to having taken the items and was subsequently arrested and charged for the offence.

Canadian, Briton fined for ganja

A 23 year-old Canadian woman was earlier this week slapped with a $255,000 fine and sentenced to three months behind bars after she was found guilty of possession of, dealing in and taking steps to export 30 pounds of ganja from the island.

Meanwhile, Haile Tafari Cubinner Fogah Anderson, a Briton, was fined over $180,000 and sentenced to two months in prison on similar charges.

The 24 year-old security officer/mechanic was an outgoing passenger to London on December 12 when he was caught with the illegal substance.