Job desperation lands man criminal record

All Richardo Chung wanted was a licence to execute the functions of his new job, but his efforts left him with a criminal record and $60,000 poorer.

Chung was fined the sum in the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court (formerly the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate’s Court) after pleading guilty to charges of uttering forged document and receiving stolen property.

The young accused had purchased the licence “from someone” who offered to get him one, he told the court. He told Senior Parish Judge Judith Pusey that he had just got a work and needed the licence.

“You cannot get a licence under a coconut tree in your backyard,” Pusey said. “How you get the licence is you do the hill start, the reverse and parallel park. That’s how you get it.”

“Mi did want the job badly,” Chung said, and was further scolded by Pusey.

 He was subsequently fined $50,000 on the charge of uttering false document and $10,000 on the charge of receiving stolen property.