The Tribune

By FARRAH JOHNSON

Tribune Staff Reporter

fjohnson@tribunemedia.net

A MAID who stole more than $1,000 cash from her employer was on Friday fined $500 and ordered to pay back the stolen money.

Gina Nottage, 43, appeared before Assistant Chief Magistrate Subusola Swain after she was accused of stealing $1,200 cash and a $200 John Bull gift card from Laurika Sands sometime between November 2020 and January of this year.

The court was told that Mrs Sands had told police that the mother of five, who she had hired to take care of her house, went into her bedroom and stole the gift card. The woman also claimed Nottage took the cash from her son’s wallet. After she filed her complaint, the accused was arrested. When questioned in custody, she admitted to the offence. According to the prosecution, Nottage had been convicted of a similar offence in the past.

During the hearing on Friday, Nottage pleaded guilty. Her attorney told the magistrate that she was the sole provider of five children, noting that three of them were still minors.

In response, Magistrate Swain told Nottage that her actions were a serious breach of trust. She also told the accused that she would have considered imposing a custodial sentence on her if she did not have young children.

As a result, she fined Nottage $500 or six months on remand for stealing. She also ordered the accused to compensate the complainant $1,400 for what was stolen. She warned Nottage that if she did not pay the compensation, she would risk being sentenced to an additional 30 days in prison.