ACE scammer to appeal

A man who attempted to con ACE out of $20 million was not sentenced as planned yesterday because he is to appeal against his conviction.

Maxwell Sinclair Roberts who posed as a director of the international insurance company to carry out the scam, was found guilty by Magistrate Khamisi Tokunbo last month. He could face up to five years in prison.

Roberts plans to appeal against the conviction in the Supreme Court. With the next session of Appeal Court not due until March 2007, Mr. Tokunbo yesterday adjourned sentencing until the outcome of the appeal hearing. He remanded Roberts, 40, back into custody in the meantime.

Two year sentence for break-in

Senior Magistrate Archibald Warner sentenced a vagrant to two years behind bars for attempting to steal from a law firm.

Sinclair Lewis Fox was sent to West Gate Correctional Facility by Mr. Warner for entering Trott and Duncan Barristers and Attorneys-at-law on Christmas Day with intent to steal.

Fox, 58, whose address was given as the Salvation Army shelter, pleaded guilty to the charge.

In a summary read by Crown Counsel Cindy Clarke, the court heard a man only referred to as Mr. Mills ? but understood to be lawyer Leopold Mills ? was notified that the alarm had been activated at the Brunswick Street property on Christmas Day.

He went to the building to investigate. He checked everything except the financial room because he did not have the key. When he found nothing suspicious, he left.

After Mr. Mills got back home, he received another call that the alarm had been triggered again.

He went back and this time he went into the financial office and saw the defendant who looked surprised to see him.

Mr. Mills asked the defendant what he was doing and he replied: ?I don?t know.?

Police arrived and arrested Fox and took him to Hamilton Police Station. He was interviewed on Boxing Day.

When Mr. Warner asked Fox if he had anything to say, he said: ?Sorry bout that but I didn?t take nothing. Nothing was missing.?

Man denies helmet attack

The trial of a 50-year-old man accused of assaulting another man with a helmet will start next year.

Royston Anthony Place appeared in Magistrates? Court yesterday and denied using a helmet to assault Albert Keith Foggo on September 16. Place, of Town Hall Road, Smiths, will return to Magistrates? Court on April 19 for trial.

2,000 fine for .35 grams of coke

A Sandy?s man received a double fine after possession charges against him were changed yesterday in Magistrate?s Court.

Dereck Hill, 24, pleaded guilty to the original charge of possession of the controlled drug cocaine.

The court heard in a summary read by Crown Counsel Paula Tyndale, officers were in an unmarked van when they approached the gate of White Hill Field on July 8.

The defendant was standing with a group of men and shouted ?Police? when he saw the van.

He quickly walked away from the gate to a club house and reached down to his shoe to retrieve an item.

Officers chased after him and saw him drop a white plastic twist on the ground.

Hill was arrested under the Misuse of Drugs Act but said the twist was not his. It was revealed to be 0.35 grams of cocaine.

After the charges were read, Ms Tyndale told Senior Magistrate Archibald Warner that the possession took place in an increased penalty zone even though it wasn?t put in the charges.

The charges were changed to possession of a controlled drug in an increased penalty zone namely White Hill Field.

Hill maintained his guilty plea and was fined $1,000 for possession and $1,000 for the increased penalty zone.

Man denies stealing charge

A St. George?s man pleaded not guilty to stealing almost $400 worth of personal property yesterday in Magistrate?s Court.

John Fox, 36, denies stealing a black leather wallet containing $167 in cash, a Butterfield Bank debit card, an Australian drivers licence and an Australian WestPac debit card. The total amount of the property taken was $367.

The matter was adjourned until April 20. Fox was bailed in the amount of $1,000 with one surety.