UPDATED: Paralegal charged with obtaining money by false pretence

EDITOR'S NOTE: The matters against Damion Combs were dismissed when he appeared before the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court on December 14, 2023. The Crown offered no evidence for the charges of obtaining money by false pretence, malicious destruction of property, and housebreaking with intent. The Trespassing matter was withdrawn.

A senior paralegal officer is the subject of criminal proceedings at the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court, where he is charged on an indictment for collecting $100,000 by fraudulent means as well as housebreaking.

The details of the allegations against Damion Coombs were not outlined before Senior Parish Judge Lori-Anne Cole-Montaque, as prosecutors received the file late on Wednesday afternoon. Brief allegations, as shared by the investigator, state that Coombs collected monies from the complainant for the rental of a property. However, he signed another person’s name on the receipt. He was subsequently charged with housebreaking with intent, trespassing and obtaining money by means of false pretence.

Attorney-at-law Able-Don Foote, in light of the circumstances, argued that his client be admitted to bail, as he was entrusted by the owner of the property to collect the monies. He said Coombs is a trained mediator, the father of a nine-year-old and the sole breadwinner of his household.

In light of the peculiar circumstances of the matter that was brought before the court, the senior jurist offered Coombs $300,000 bail with at least two sureties. He is to report to the police twice weekly and is to surrender his travel documents. Coombs is to have no contact or communication with the complainant and is not to visit the property cited in the matter. A stop order was also imposed.

Coombs is to return to court on December 6 when the matter is set for mention.

EDITOR'S NOTE: The matters against Damion Combs were dismissed when he appeared before the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court on December 14, 2023. The Crown offered no evidence for the charges of obtaining money by false pretence, malicious destruction of property, and housebreaking with intent. The Trespassing matter was withdrawn.