HELPER TEEF 150K WORTH A CLOTHES FROM HAR EMPLOYER

A former household helper accused of stealing more than $150, 000 worth of her former employer’s clothing at her Stony Hill, St Andrew home had her bail extended when she appeared in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate’s Court last week.

The 50-year-old accused, Juliet Holness, a resident of Bog Walk in St Catherine, pleaded not guilty to larceny when she appeared in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate’s Court.

It is alleged that between August 12 and 14 this year several pieces of clothing, valued at $150,000, went missing from the complainant’s house. It is further alleged that when Holness was cautioned by the police she reportedly said that she thought that the items of clothing were for part of payment for work done.

The matter was subsequently reported to the police and following her arrest, some of the clothing was returned.

The complainant told the court that she hired Holness last year as a household helper but that her performance was not up to standard and she was dismissed within a month.

Allegations are that Holness, in March this year, contacted the complainant for a job and she assisted her in finding one. However, three months later she was terminated.

It is alleged that on August 12 this year, Holness, who was in St Andrew, visited the complainant’s house shortly after 8:00 pm and was allowed to stay for the night.

According to the complainant, the following day she saw Holness washing and when she enquired, the accused woman reportedly told her that she was assisting her with her chores.

On August 14, the complainant informed the accused woman that she would be leaving the house at 11:00 am and offered her a ride. The accused woman reportedly told the complainant that she was getting a ride to Bog Walk and sought permission to stay until later in the day.

It was on the woman’s return that she realised that items of clothing were missing.

In her defence, Holness told the court that she was instructed to take the items.

“She told me time is hard and that the clothes a second-hand clothes. I work without food and money,” she said in a trembling voice.

The complainant denied employing the accused woman during the period the items went missing. “She worked for four weeks in 2014 and was paid in full,” the complainant told the court.

The accused, who had her bail extended, was fingerprinted and ordered to return to court on October 28.

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