A Morvant couple who used bogus game machine tickets at a Marabella bar to get money were fined a total of $6,000 yesterday.
Akido Simon, 35, a father of five, was also ordered to immediately pay the bar owner $1,590 in compensation.
Simon and his girlfriend, Natasha Spalding, 29, a mother of three, pleaded guilty before San Fernando magistrate Brambhanan Dubay to uttering a forge gaming ticket and using a forged ticket with intent to defraud.
The magistrate, however, dismissed the charge of uttering a forged ticket against both of them because it was substantially the same as the other charge.
In Spalding’s case, court prosecutor Sgt Chanardath Jhilmit said she tried to change a gaming ticket valued at $920 at Carat Shed restaurant and bar.
Although written on the ticket was Carat Shed, Marabella, the employee realised it was a fake and the police were contacted.
When confronted by PC Mohammed, Spalding said: “Officer, I really gave the bar lady that ticket to cash out. My boyfriend Akido give me it and tell me to cash it. I have three children to see about and we try a thing. First time I doing this.”
Asking for leniency, her attorney Cedric Neptune said she had a clean record and the ticket was given to her and her boyfriend by a third party.
Neptune said Spalding was remorseful and also spent four days in custody.
Noting the need to deter others, the magistrate fined her $2,000, which she has 30 days to pay or serve 30 days in jail. Jhilmit said Simon went to the bar on March 11 where he cashed out the bogus gaming ticket and received $1,590.
It was only later that day the bogus ticket was discovered. When the police confronted him the same day his wife was arrested, Simon said he told PC Mohammed he offered to pay back the owner, but “he don’t want that.”
Also asking for leniency for Simon, Neptune said he was sole breadwinner of his children who were between the ages 16 and two.
Simon had six previous convictions, including a trafficking cocaine matter in which he was fined $30,000. Simon was fined $4,000 or 18 months in prison. He has 30 days to pay.