A former teller at Bank of N.T. Butterfield admitted stealing $5,000 from the bank when she appeared at Magistrates' Court yesterday.

Greshona Gibbons, 19, of Happy Valley Lane, Pembroke, took the notes from the Rosebank commercial branch of the bank in Hamilton on February 6, the day before she submitted her resignation. Bank surveillance tapes showed Gibbons removing the cash and putting it into an envelope on her desk, which she took when she was leaving, said Crown counsel Oonagh Vaucrossan.

When questioned by Police, Gibbons, who is now working part-time as a grocery store cashier, said: “Yeah, I took it”.

Gibbons, who admitted theft, said she gave the money to her friend Rodrica Wilson, 19, also of Happy Valley Lane, who admitted receiving stolen goods.

The envelope, containing $4,600, was found in the envelope under Wilson's bed. Police recovered a total of $4,800, as Wilson, who spent $100 on a haircut, had given $200 to a family friend.

Gibbons' lawyer Chen Foley told acting senior magistrate Carlisle Greaves his client had been co-operative, she had written a letter of apology to the bank, and all but $200 had been recovered. “No doubt these proceedings, and the attention in the local papers, will serve in itself as punishment,” he said.

Gibbons and Wilson were released on bail for a social enquiry report to be prepared.

Man punches woman tourist in night club

A Devonshire man admitted unlawfully assaulting a female tourist in the Ozone night club when he appeared in Magistrates' Court. Neville Tucker, 20, of Alexander Road, pleaded guilty to punching the tourist with a pendant between his fingers last Saturday night.

Crown counsel Wayne Caines told the court that the incident happened after the female tourist came over to inform Tucker that the Police were conducting a search.

At the time, Tucker had been lighting matches and throwing them onto the floor. He then, in a seemingly unprovoked attack, punched the woman with the metallic object between his fingers. The woman was conveyed to King Edward VII Memorial Hospital where she received stitches for her wound.

Mr. Caines said Tucker had been released from prison on February 28 and asked Acting Senior Magistrate Carlisle Greaves to impose an immediate custodial sentence.

Tucker said that he did not remember what had happened, as he had been drinking. He said: “I have a problem with alcohol, when I drink I can't remember anything.”

Mr. Greaves asked: “How long have you had a problem with alcohol?

“Or is it just because you are faced with jail?”

Tucker said: “No, I had recognised the problem before, but since I got out of prison, I have not gone out at all and I am staying out of trouble.”

Defence lawyer Larry Mussenden asked the court for leniency and probation on behalf of Tucker.

Probation officer Robert King told the court that Tucker had previously breached probation and that was why the sentence that he had just completed had been imposed.

Mr. Greaves said he had heard from everyone involved and sentenced Tucker to six-months in prison.