A 56-year-old woman who cashed bogus cheques worth $8,100 was sentenced yesterday to 18 months in jail.

Donna Saltus, of Sandys, pleaded guilty last month to 18 counts of obtaining property by deception.

Prosecutor Cindy Clarke asked that Saltus be handed a sentence of between three to six months in jail, plus probation.

Marc Daniels, lawyer for Saltus, said that his client had experienced a “minor stroke” since being remanded in custody on March 7.

Mr Daniels added that Saltus received regular dialysis treatment for diabetes.

He said: “I would humbly invite the court to consider the lower end of the range.”

Mr Daniels said that Saltus was also willing to participate in a drug treatment programme.

The cheques were passed between October 13, 2009, and January 5, 2010.

Addressing Magistrate Khamisi Tokunbo, Saltus said: “I apologise to everybody.”

Mr Tokunbo said that he had taken Saltus’s health condition into consideration.

He added that she had also been convicted in 2006 for “multiple offences” of dishonesty.

Mr Tokunbo said: “You have to pay the price. You have to atone.”

He added that he did not agree with the Crown’s sentencing recommendation.

Mr Tokunbo sentenced Saltus to 18 months imprisonment on each count, to run concurrently, with her time spent in custody taken into consideration.

He added that she must serve six months with 12 months suspended for two years.

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