The Tribune

By LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

A GRAND Bahama man who used his friend’s credit card without permission while vacationing on Paradise Island was charged with fraud on Friday.

Shean Hall, 22, was arrested after he was accused of using Nathan Morley’s credit card to purchase over $1,000 worth of goods from Margaritaville and El Greco hotels without his consent sometime between March 25 to 27.

Hall pleaded guilty to two counts of fraud by false pretences during his hearing before Magistrate Shaka Serville.

After owning up to the offences, Hall gave a tearful account of what happened between him and his friend during Friday’s hearing.

He told the court that he was staying at El Greco when Mr Morley reached out, informing him that he would be on the island soon.

“When he came, he told me that he would book me into Margaritaville and extend my time at El Greco so… as a friend and because I didn’t see him in a long time, I allowed it to be,” he said.

The 22-year-old said during his stay, he believed Mr Morley saw him with another male friend, prompting some jealousy.

Hall told the court he believes this was what led to his arrest.

“I didn’t know that he would ever try (to) do that to me as a friend because maybe he saw me with a different male … and he took it some type of way and (did that) out of spite,” he tearfully told the court.

The accused also went on to speak about his character, saying he worked in photography and was an aspiring entrepreneur.

Hall also said he was trying to get his life on the right course, after spending nearly a year in prison for a similar offence.

He described his living conditions in prison as hard and said the situation served as a wake-up call for him.

“I told myself after coming out of the prison, I want the best for my life. This is the only hiccup that I had so far… I was literally on the right path,” he said, while asking the court for a second chance.

In response, Magistrate Serville said he had to take into consideration several factors, including his past convictions.

He also told Hall that while he understood his arguments, he could not treat the matter lightly considering the offence was a serious one and very similar to his last conviction.

“I don’t have the ability to just look at this as somebody wronging you. I have to look at this, shortly after you wronged someone by stealing and served a year in prison…. you were doing the opposite of what you told me to do,” the magistrate said.

Magistrate Serville also said he had to consider his duty of sending a strong message to would-be repeat offenders.

Ultimately, the magistrate said he needed more time to reflect on the case and deferred sentencing to April 8.