Former hotel manager gets 3-month suspended sentence
Curtis James outside the Magistrate’s Court recently.
The Jamaican manager who was accused of stealing nearly $10,000 from his former workplace at Pusser’s Marina Cay Hotel and Restaurant was given a three-month suspended sentence after confessing.
Curtis James’ suspended sentence requires him to keep out of trouble for the next three months and if he does not, he will spend three months at Her Majesty’s Prison in Balsam Ghut.
He had pleaded guilty to 11 counts of theft when he appeared before Magistrate Shawn Innocent recently.
The court was told that he stole the funds to pay bills that exceeded his income.
James stole the monies between March 24 to May 3 of last year during his stint as the assistant manager of the company.
Mitigation
During mitigation, his attorney Stephen Daniels told the court that his client had no previous convictions and is also the father of two young children.
Furthermore James, he said, had repaid the stolen funds to Pussers since May. Despite the offence, his former employer wrote to the court that stealing was uncharacteristic of the offender.
Just before Magistrate Innocent handed down judgement, Daniels had strongly pressed the court to not impose a custodial sentence saying: “I would urge you to temper justice with mercy.”
In response, Magistrate Innocent said, although James made righted his wrong, an offence was committed. He further noted that the court does not treat these matters lightly.
The magistrate said he did not want to send the wrong message to the public. But, at the same time, he said James has good future and, as such, did not want him incarcerated.
What happened
As assistant manager to the company, part of his duties were to make daily bank deposits at Banco Popular in Road Town. It was during that time that he stole the funds, the court heard.
The company’s Chief Financial Officer later confronted him about the missing funds and report was made to police.
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what a soft sentence ! what about repayment ? James has a good future ? looks like this judge is a fortune teller !
If you read the article it did say that he repaid the money since May
and he still here?
So not treating the matter lightly means essentially a suspended sentence?
All the best bro. You been through the wire and now you can be made stronger. Peace king.
Cancel his Entry Permits ask him to leave the Territory.
That’s the first thing you all does say….leave the territory as if you all are so honest and upholding of the law. like only supposedly only non-belongers of the territory commits des foolishness or can make mistakes depending on the circumstances at the time. so, no one in Tortola does anything wrong? please shut up…we read about it almost every day.
When you commit crimes in countries where you don’t belong, that is what happens. You get deported. Whats wrong with you. Only in the BVI expats think they have more rights than anywhere else.
How could expats believe they have more rights than Belongers when they don’t even have anyone representing them? Something just don’t add up.
Your Ignorance is Bliss.
People doing worse and get away what’s your problem,IS NOT AN EASY ROAD PEOPLE STRUGGLING IN THE BVI
According to immigration laws. Any offense that carries a minimum sentence of 3 months. Automatically means the person up for deportation
No. ANY offense “punishable” by three months or more. Not the time sentenced to. You are luke warm. Read up the Immigration act.
Now he has a police record is he allowed to remain in the territory?.
We wonder why Jamaicans have such a bad name here and require a visa…
Get caught, just pay back the bit they found.
I hope y’all see what’s going on with this judge!
Well saw this is f**kry . This magristrate for real.
As an assistance manager! so where is the general manager?
Steal 10 thousand. 10,000.00 Get 3 months suspended. No fine.
Get caught with 10 grams of weed and the fine may be in the thousands and if you cant pay its more than 3 months in jail.
May even catch a intent to supply charge for “large amount” of empty dime bags they find laying around or for the scale you use to weigh your personal-use purchase.
Stealing hurts people. Why are the penalties for a plant harsher than theft?
This is not right, laws need to be changed.
Which politician will take a hit for the good of the modern population?!
Shameful they close their eyes while the eyes of the world begin to open to the realities of herb.
He didn’t murder anyone. Bigger things out there to worry about than a little hustle. He lucky though.