Visitor’s phone stolen – Huggins ‘got away easy’

Magistrate’s Court at John’s Hole, Tortola

Senior Magistrate Tamia Richards this month fined Natasha Huggins $500 for being in possession of goods suspected to have been stolen, noting that Huggins ‘got away easy’ for the crime.

The sum is the highest possible sentence an offender can receive for the aforementioned offence.

The senior magistrate however said, based on the allegations, Huggins should have been charged with handling stolen goods, which comes with a penalty of up to two years in prison.

“The handler is worse than the thief… So you got away very easy,” Senior Magistrate Richards told the offender who is native of Antigua and Barbuda.

She, in the meantime, ordered Huggins to pay the $500 or serve 30 days at Her Majesty’s Prison.

The court heard that a female visitor, who was staying at Columbus Sunset Villas in West End, reported to police that her smart phone was missing.

Police apprehended a motorist for an unrelated matter some time after. At the time, the motorist was driving a vehicle Huggins had rented.

Police eventually returned the vehicle to the rental company.

The company later contacted Huggins to hand over the aforementioned smart phone that had been left in the vehicle.

Police subsequently accosted Huggins for questioning.

She reportedly denied knowledge of the stolen device.

Law enforcers however found the phone in Huggins’ bag during a search.

The device was later returned to the complainant, who confirmed ownership by entering the security password for the phone.

Huggins was charged.

The Antiguan offender was convicted and fined after she changed her plea to guilty during her trial.

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