A St Joseph man who was allegedly caught on cellphone video trying to enter a house was remanded when he appeared in the District “A” Magistrates’ Court yesterday.
Jason McDonald Phillips, 36, of Surinam Road, Horse Hill, St Joseph, did not plead to the charge of loitering on the premises of April Wiggins, on November 10, [with] cause to suspect that he was about to commit burglary. That was a District “C” matter.
He was also accused that on July 20, with intent to defraud he endeavoured to obtain from Republic Bank $300 by virtue of a Republic Bank cheque payable to himself knowing the same to be forged.
He was also not required to plead to the charge that with intent to defraud on June 8, he uttered a forged bill of exchange – a Republic Bank cheque payable to himself for $2 000 knowing the same to be forged and that he obtained from the same bank $2 000 by virtue of a Republic Bank cheque payable to himself knowing the same to be forged. Those were District “A” matters.
Prosecutor Sergeant Cameron Gibbons, in objecting to bail, pointed to the seriousness of the charges and the strength of the evidence.
He also referred to the accused’s antecedents, five of which, he said, were for similar offences and 14 of which were for fraud. The sergeant also pointed to the need to protect society from the accused.
However, Phillips begged for bail, saying his girlfriend was pregnant and “I have to look out and buy things for the baby”.
He said he was gainfully employed with his brother digging wells and working as a carpenter.
Magistrate Kristie Cuffy-Sargeant remanded Phillips to HMP Dodds until November 22 when he will appear in the District “C” St Matthias Magistrates’ Court.He will appear in Court No. 1 of the District “A” Magistrates’ Court on December 14. (HLE)
