WESTERN BUREAU

A 23-year-old man, who has been committing offences under an alias, has admitted to stealing a Lexus motor vehicle, after four months of maintaining his innocence.

Derron Clarke, also known as 'Adrian Watkis', pleaded guilty to larceny of a motor vehicle when he appeared before the Montego Bay Resident Magistrate's Court last Friday.

The St. Mary resident, who has been residing at Cornwall Gardens in Montego Bay, was remanded, pending whether his family can compensate the complainant of over $150,000 for damage to the car while in Clarke's possession.

He will return to court for sentencing on December 8.

Attorney-at-law Dalton Reid asked RM Winsome Henry to be lenient with his client, who has two previous convictions, one of which is for a similar offence.

Mr. Reid said that sending his client to jail without counselling would not be the ideal solution.

However, after the court heard that the high-tech audio system was removed from the vehicle and one of the seats damaged, the RM said the complainant would have to be compensated.

Allegations say that on June 27, Clarke told the complainant that he was interested in buying the vehicle, which was being sold for $850,000.

They met later that day at the Fairview Shopping Centre in Montego Bay for an exchange to be made.

The complainant informed Clarke that he had the title for the vehicle at home and agreed to let the accused test drive the car to the premises for the document.

When they got to the house, the complainant stepped out of the car to retrieve the document and Clarke allegedly drove away.

On July 26, the complainant saw Clarke and called out to him but he allegedly ran away. He gave chase and held on to Clarke at Sam Sharpe Square where he was subsequently arrested by police on patrol in the area.

The car was retrieved in St. Mary two days later.