After admitting in the Supreme Court to stealing $7,700 from a police officer, Martin Jerome Dacosta Corbin went missing for almost ten years.
A warrant was out for his arrest and last Friday lawmen detained the Kendal, St John resident and brought him before the High Court.
Today, the now 43-year-old man lost his freedom for at least a week – until Monday, March 2 – having been remanded at Dodds.
The money belonging to police constable Kenmore Phillips was for Corbin to cast a concrete floor for his home. Instead Corbin stole the funds on May 27, 2004. On April 6, 2010 he pleaded guilty to the charge and was given a date to return for sentencing.
“Having pleaded guilty, the now convicted man was supposed to return to court and never did. The complainant. . .said he was never repaid the money so the matter is clearly outstanding. It was prudent for the accused to return to court to decide how the matter would be disposed of but he remained at large for ten years and nothing has happened,” Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Alliston Seale, who prosecuted the case back then, said.
However, Corbin told Justice Randal Worrell: “I didn’t pay the money because I was not working. Two persons will come and pay.”
He added: “I didn’t know I had to come back [to court].”
Justice Worrell made it clear to Corbin that he had wasted ten years from having the matter solved and as such he would be remanded.
“Get in contact with the people who will help you pay the money,” the judge said stating that the complainant simply wanted his money back.
Corbin apologised to the judge and Seale before prison wardens took him away.
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