A 41-year-old Hamilton parish man was remanded into custody Friday, after failing to appear before the court on charges of defrauding SAL Limited of more than $2,500, and failure to pay more than $1,800 in traffic offences.

Sherman Armstrong of Crawl Hill was charged in Magistrates? Court with ten counts of intending to defraud and ten counts of making false writing to SAL Limited in August of last year.

He is alleged to have defrauded SAL Limited of $2,532.70.

According to Crown Counsel Oonagh Vaucrosson, Armstrong was arrested on September 21, 2004 for the matter and was bailed by the court on October 27. Mr. King ordered Armstrong to pay $1,850 in outstanding traffic fines or face 179 days in prison and ordered that he be remanded in custody until trial for the alleged fraud charges.

The decision came after a lengthy and heated bail hearing with Larry Scott ? with Mr. King excusing himself from the bench for a short time to cool tempers.