A 55-year-old father of five was yesterday placed on $275,000 bail after he appeared before acting Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry to answer the charge of unlawful assault and fraudulent conversion.
The particulars of the charge are that on October 23 at Georgetown the accused Patrick Gentle assaulted Kevin Spooner. It further alleges that during the month of July the man obtained Cdn$7,500, equivalent to $1.5M, from the said Spooner under false pretence.
The man pleaded not guilty to the charges when they were read to him at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.
In presenting the facts the prosecution told the court that on the day in question the defendant was at Jerry’s outlet consuming alcohol when the VC informed him that it was time for the outlet to be closed and that he had to leave.
As a result the accused became annoyed and threatened to fight him and the staff who were performing their duties at the time.
According to the facts pertaining to the fraudulent conversion, the VC was introduced to the accused who related that he was in a position to obtain a Canadian visa for him to travel. The Cdn$7,500 was entrusted to the defendant who obtained the visa and the VC later departed to Barbados but he was arrested and told by the authorities that he was travelling under false pretences.
Gentle was informed of what had occurred and he promised to return the cash but failed to do so. The matter was reported and the accused was arrested.
The accused who resides at Lot 50 Bachelor’s Adventure was placed on $25,000 bail for the first charge and $250,000 for the charge of fraudulent conversion.
