cheque for $440.

Geordal Smith, of Tribe Road, Devonshire, pleaded guilty in Magistrates' Court to making a false document by adding false writing to a Bank of Bermuda cheque, uttering a false document, inducing an employee at Gibbons Company Deposit to give him $100 cash and to put $340 in his account.

Police prosecutor Sgt. Anthony Mouchette said Smith was fired by Mackie Marine Ltd. on May 10 after he turned up for work two hours late.

Smith received his last paycheque for $140, but he altered the cheque to read $440.

Sgt. Mouchette noted that Smith went to Gibbons Company Deposit where he got an employee to give him $100 cash and to deposit $340 into his account.

When arrested on suspicion of forgery, Smith initially denied forging the cheque. But he later admitted to the offence.

Senior Magistrate Will Francis released Smith on $500 bail with a like surety and ordered him to return to court on October 30 when the social inquiry report is expected to be completed.

WONAN ADMITS STEALING $69 DRESS CTS Woman admits stealing $69 dress A 50-year-old Devonshire mother yesterday discovered in Magistrates' Court that wearing a stolen dress to her son's graduation could be a costly affair.

Elizabeth Saggar of Devon Springs Road was fined $200 or 20 days and given a stern tongue-lashing by Senior Magistrate Will Francis after she admitted stealing a $69 dress earlier this summer from the store room of Trimingham's.

Mrs. Saggar -- who has since lost her job -- was employed there as a sales associate at the time.

She appeared in Magistrates' Court in July and was released on $500 bail and a social inquiry report was ordered.

Asked if she had anything to say Mrs. Saggar told the court that she had kept the sales tag and intended to pay for it once she had the money.

In sentencing her, Mr. Francis said: "We regard it very seriously when people like you abuse a position of trust. I've read your report and based on that I think you've learned your lesson.'' AMERICAN VISITOR FINED $500 CTS American visitor fined $500 An American visitor, caught with drugs in a video camera case, was yesterday fined $500.

Mark Mennis, 39, of New York, pleaded guilty in Magistrates' Court to possessing cocaine and drug equipment.

Police prosecutor Sgt. Anthony Mouchette said narcotics officers went to Mennis' hotel room on August 16 with a search warrant.

As the officers were searching the room Mennis told them there were drugs in his video camera case.

Sgt. Mouchette said the officers found a plastic bag containing cocaine and a cut-off straw in a pocket on the case.

Mennis told Police he had purchased the drugs abroad and had them for his personal use.

Sgt. Mouchette noted that the cocaine weighed 1.23 grams and the straw had cocaine residue on it.

Senior Magistrate Will Francis ordered Mennis to pay a $400 fine for possessing cocaine and $100 for having the drug equipment.