Credit union theft accused change tune as trial begins

Moments after the first witness gave evidence in their trial in Supreme Court No. 4A, two men accused of stealing money from a credit union threw in the towel and admitted to committing the offence.

Corey Athelbert Lynch of Risk Road, St Michael, and Kerry Andrew Ricardo Burnett of 10th Avenue West Terrace, St James, pleaded guilty to stealing $16 000 belonging to the City of Bridgetown Cooperative Credit Union Limited between October 7 and 26, 2013.

Lynch also admitted to five other charges. These include that with intent to defraud, he forged a  Bank of Nova Scotia cheque payable to himself in the sum of $16 000, knowing the same to be forged; that with intent to defraud, he uttered to the City of Bridgetown Cooperative Credit Union Limited, a Bank of Nova Scotia cheque payable to himself in the sum of $16 000, knowing the same to be forged; and that with intent to defraud, he obtained from the City of Bridgetown Cooperative Credit Union Limited $16 000 by virtue of a forged instrument, namely a Bank of Nova Scotia cheque payable to himself in the sum of $16 000, knowing the same to be forged, all on October 7, 2013.

He also confessed that on November 8, 2013, with intent to defraud, he forged a Bank of Nova Scotia cheque payable to himself in the sum of $48 000, knowing the same to be forged and that with intent to defraud, he uttered to the City of Bridgetown Cooperative Credit Union Limited, a Bank of Nova Scotia cheque payable to himself in the sum of $48 000, knowing the same to be forged.

Madam Justice Wanda Blair directed the nine-member jury to return a formal verdict of guilty for the six counts after the accused changed their pleas.

Senior State Counsel Joyann Catwell, who prosecuted the matter along with State Counsel Maya Kellman, read the statement of the credit union’s Accounting Manager Judie Gill.

While at work on January 16, 2014, Gill was contacted by an officer of The Barbados Police Service who was investigating a report made by the credit union that Corey Lynch had deposited a Bank of Nova Scotia cheque for $16 000 via an ATM transaction and the cheque was subsequently returned dishonoured. She said the cheque was returned with the bank notation ‘Forged Endorsement/Counterfeit Item’ from the Republic Bank of Barbados. It was discovered that Lynch had opened an account with the credit union on September 19, 2013, and that on October 7, 2013, a cheque deposit of $16 000 had been credited to his account, with the funds being withdrawn between October 17 and 26.

The investigation also showed that a cheque deposit of $48 000 was made on November 8, 2013. This cheque was returned by Republic Bank on November 15 with the notation ‘Fraudulent Cheque’. Gill stated that the credit union suffered no financial loss regarding this as the hold was released within the period of eight working days and the transaction was fully reversed.

A pre-sentence report was ordered and the two men will return to court on June 3.

Burnett, who was represented by defence attorney Alvan Babb, remains on bail, while Lynch, who was self-represented, remains on remand on another matter.