Male sex worker robs hotel

A male sex worker broke into a drawer in the reception area of a motel and stole $57,000 after his client ran off without paying his bill.

The incident, which took place on February 19, led to him being charged with simple larceny, an offence to which he pleaded guilty and was sentenced when he appeared in the the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court yesterday.

The court heard that the sex worker, 27, was in New Kingston when a man drove up and solicited his services. The escort said the man took him to a local hotel and after having sex with him, the man left without paying him.

The court heard that the accused had no money for transportation and went to the hotel's front desk to ask for assistance, but no one was there. He gained access to the receptionist's working area, then went into a drawer and stole $57,000. The money has since been repaid by the accused.

The sex worker admitted to Senior Parish Judge Lori-Ann Cole-Montague that he was released from prison this year for a similar offence. The judge was not amused.

"You have sticky fingers and at the time of this offence, you were just out of prison. There is a part of me where my heart goes out to you and I know that you have not had the last couple of months easy, but there is always a balance that a judge has to make because this is the thing, sentencing must be fair and I have to be mindful of certain things," the judge said.

The sex worker has previous convictions for disorderly conduct and assault occasioning actual bodily harm in 2016, and simple larceny in 2018. Cole-Montague yesterday sentenced him to four months' imprisonment at hard labour for his latest infraction.

"How should people view the court if you have repeat offenders? It can't be that you just pay the money and the court say 'Okay, gwan yah my yute'. What kind of message would be sent? Strong messages must be sent, a strong deterrent must be felt you know. People must know that if you thief people things, if you trouble people things, you can confidently report it to the police and have the matter ventilated in the court and they will get justice," Cole-Montague explained.