Church theft accused remanded

The prosecution today successfully objected to bail for a 31-year-old man who allegedly preyed on a woman while she was in church, stealing her bag and contents.

Jerome Obryan Rudder, of 4th Avenue Manning Land, St Michael will spend at least the next 28 days on remand at Dodds in relation to the matter.

He was charged with stealing the $50 handbag, a $70 purse, a $50 pair of glasses, a $500 cellular phone and $85 cash belonging to Sady Mortley on August 18.

He pleaded not guilty to the charge after which Sergeant Kevin Forde objected to bail.

The prosecutor pointed out that there was a fear that the accused would reoffend given his antecedents and that it would be in his best interest to keep him off the streets for his own protection.

“It is alleged that based on the nature of this offence he preyed on a lady praying and removed her items from the church. That is the accusation,” officer Forde said in the objections against Rudder who is known to the court.

Trying to convince Magistrate Douglas Frederick to grant him bail, Rudder submitted, “I was on rehab . . . sometimes my name does get call . . . and I don’t nothing about it.”

The accused, who had his left hand in a cast and sling because of a fracture a few weeks ago, returns before the District ‘A’ Magistrates’ Court on September 19.