Magistrate forces man to repay jilted woman

What started out as a romantic linkup via social media ended up with a woman being tricked out of her money and her would-be lover before the court.

And while the brief encounter did not have a fairy tale ending that Latoya Morris would have hoped for, she left the District ‘A’ Magistrates’ Court on Thursday knowing she had got her money back plus an additional $150.

Andre Kevin Rock, 36, of Reservoir Road, Lodge Hill, St Michael, was made to pay Morris $1 000 in compensation by Magistrate Manila Renee after he admitted to stealing $850 from Morris sometime between July 28th and 31st.

When Rock appeared in the District ‘A’ Magistrates’ Court No.2, which is sitting in the Cane Garden Complex, police prosecutor Sergeant Vernon Waithe told the court that Rock and Morris met on the social media site, Tagged, sometime in July.

They arranged to meet in person for the first time outside the Immigration Department a few days later.

During the course of their interactions, Morris, who is deaf, made arrangements to buy a car from Rock.

They again met outside the Immigration Department where she handed him a $500 downpayment.

On July 29, they met up again at Courts Barbados Ltd on St George Street and she gave him a further $300. On this occasion, Rock gave her a car key and promised he would give her the car at a later date.

On July 31, they met again outside the Immigration Department where she gave Rock $50. He told her to go to Queen’s Park to await the arrival of the vehicle, but after waiting there for several hours he never showed up.

Morris then tried to contact him via phone, WhatsApp and Tagged but was unsuccessful as he had blocked her.

She reported the matter to police on August 9 and the following day, Rock was taken into custody.

None of the money was recovered as Rock had spent it on several items, the court heard.

In explaining his actions to the magistrate, the first-time offender confirmed that the two met on Tagged and a romance began.

He said he only realized Morris was deaf after their first meeting.

Rock said after she sent him a picture of a 1995 AE100 Toyota Corolla motorcar he went in search of one and found one on sale for $3 500.

He said he was using the money as a downpayment for the car, but he began to receive threatening messages on his phone and he took the decision to block her.

“You have taken advantage of this young lady,” a disbelieving Magistrate Renee told Rock. “There are lots of holes in your story. Why did you not put her in touch with the owner of the vehicle? Why did you take her money and tell her to meet you in Queen’s Park but never showed?”

The magistrate advised Morris, through the aid of an interpreter, to be more cautious and told her that she hoped she had learned her lesson.

Renee had initially intended to give Rock two days to pay the $1 000 compensation but relatives who were present at the court paid the money immediately.

The magistrate then reprimanded and discharged him.