Mother of 11 granted bail

A mother of 11, who pleaded with a judge to allow her to go home to her children, was offered bail in the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court yesterday.

Pansy Henry, 57, of a Claremont, St Ann, address, pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of property and receiving stolen goods when she appeared in court. Henry said that she is the sole provider for her 11 children, including three sets of twins, who have been alone since she was locked up on Saturday, January 29.

She is accused of stealing three gaming boxes, which are said to be valued at $500,000 each. It is reported that Henry was seen by officers on duty with three boxes in her possession. Senior Parish Judge Lori-Ann Cole-Montague allowed her time to explain her actions.

"Your Honour, a young lady calls me, this thing has been happening since December. She told me that some men came there with some poker boxes and when they came, they take out a lot of money out of the poker boxes. I said to her 'Yuh sure?' and she said yes. I said to her 'Whenever time they come, call me, me and you a go move wid some a dem and go sell.' But Your Honour, when she call me and I went there, it look like the man dem came there with the boxes in the night so she call me in the morning," she explained.

However, the judge interjected and told her that she would be remanded in custody until the sentencing date. It was then that Henry told the judge about her living situation.

"I'm gonna ask you kindly if you could let me go home," the woman pleaded with the judge. Cole-Montague offered Henry bail in the sum of $350,000 with conditions attached. A stop order was imposed and Henry was ordered to surrender her travel documents. She was made the subject of a fingerprint order and is to report to the police twice weekly. Henry is to return to court on March 11.

- T.T.