‘Tombstone’ in court again

Last year he vowed not to return to court. He even said that he wanted to change his ways and that prison wasn’t for him. But last week Thursday saw convicted conman Allister “Tombstone” Smith in familiar territory to answer to four charges of deception.{{more}}

Smith pleaded not guilty to obtaining by deception $4800, the property of Ronnell Bobb, of Tortola and Prospect, on March 20, 2008. He was also charged with dishonestly obtaining US$1,000 from Bobb on April 3, 2008, at Kingstown; for obtaining US$1,600 on March 12, 2008, and on January 10, 2008, at Queensbury Vermont by deception, obtaining one pig valued at $900 from Darrel Wiseman. He was denied bail and was remanded to her Majesty’s Prison.

Objecting to Smith’s bail application, Prosecutor Station Sergeant Nigel Butcher said that the matters laid before the court are very serious and that Smith’s record showed that he has the propensity to commit crimes of that nature. Butcher also said that he was of the opinion that if the defendant were granted bail, he would abscond.

The court also heard that Smith had been on the run for some time, and it was a sting operation by police that took them to his hideout area.

The court also heard that other persons who Smith may have conned are coming forward and more charges are expected to be laid against the 29-year-old Sion Hill resident.

In January of 2007, Smith was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment for unlawfully obtaining three Dell computers from Courts St Vincent Limited, valued at $10,497, on December 19, 2006.

At that time Smith posed as someone by the name of Carl Defreitas working at the Cotton House in Mustique and telephoned Courts requesting three Dell computers. He was brought to court the very next day on another deception charge and was sentenced to a further 12 months in prison for dishonestly obtaining $3,000 from Jean Jack, 65, of Richland Park, between September 15 and 16, 2006. On that occasion, Smith told Jack he was working for the Government of St Vincent, in conjunction with the Cuban Government, to build houses for poor people. Smith told her that the Government will provide all the materials for the house but all she has to do is pay for the labour. The $3,000 was handed over to Smith but Jack never saw Smith or her money again.

Smith’s attorney, Grant Connell, told Chief Magistrate Sonya Young that being at Her Majesty’s “Pleasure” wasn’t doing anything for Smith. He said that there were bail conditions that could be set that can “cage such an animal.” His bail application was denied and the matter was adjourned to July 24, 2008.

Smith has five previous convictions for deceit. (KW)