By FARRAH JOHNSON
Tribune Staff Reporter
fjohnson@tribunemedia.net
A 44-year-old businessman who accepted money from two different clients without performing the services he agreed to carry out was yesterday fined $3,000 and ordered to pay back the people he inconvenienced.
Eric Darling was arrested after he stole $9,000 from Shawn Sturrup in September 2020, which he had custody of by reason of service.
The prosecution said the accused also stole $6,100 from Donna Stubbs sometime between February and August of last year, which he also had access to by reason of his service.
During his arraignment before Chief Magistrate Joyann Ferguson-Pratt yesterday, Darling pleaded guilty to the offences.
The court heard on June 1, Mr Sturrup, the manager of a truck services company, received an invoice via email in the amount of $10,000 from Darling’s company, HBS Systems, for an eight-kilowatt solar and wind system. Mr Sturrup said he wired the $9,000, which he received from a government grant, to HBS system with an agreement that Darling’s company would commence work immediately upon receipt of the cash. However, the prosecution said no work has commenced to date.
The court was told the accused was later arrested and cautioned. In an interview in police custody, he acknowledged receiving the $9,000, but said his service was supposed to be completed by July. Nonetheless the prosecution said an investigation led to Darling’s secretary, who produced an email conversation the accused had with Mr Sturrup highlighting that the work should have been completed in April.
In the second case, the prosecutor said Ms Stubbs and her husband paid $6,100 in February 2020, but the woman never received any supplies. In his police interview, Darling said he shipped the equipment, but the court heard to date, the woman has not received the solar panel system from his company.
After listening to the facts, Magistrate Ferguson-Pratt said she could not endorse or condone Darling’s actions. As a result, she fined him $1,800 for count one and another $1,200 for count two. She also ordered Darling to repay both complainants the money they gave him. She said if he failed to do so, he would be remanded into custody for two months.
Commenting has been disabled for this item.