A man caring for his terminally ill mother was given a suspended sentence after he admitted stealing $3,000 using modified gift cards.

Jahroy Simons, 40, from Sandys, pleaded guilty in Magistrates’ Court to two counts of using fraudulent MarketPlace gift cards to deprive HSBC of cash, as well as dishonestly obtaining $3,000 from the bank by using the cards.

He also admitted two counts of possession of fraudulent bank cards and attempting to steal cash by using the fake gift cards.

All of the offences occurred between September 24 and 28 last year.

Simons initially denied the offences when charged in October but later reversed his plea and admitted his guilt.

At a sentencing hearing yesterday, Simons apologised for his behaviour. “I am at the court’s mercy,” he added.

Senior magistrate Maxanne Anderson noted the rising number of fraud cases coming before the court.

She said: “Financial fraud crimes have significant cost to the taxpayers and businesses in Bermuda.”

She added that while the crimes were at the lower end of the spectrum, a custodial sentence was warranted.

Ms Anderson, however, also noted that Simons had said that his mother was terminally ill and that he was providing her care.

Together with his guilty plea and expressions of remorse, she sentenced Simons to two years behind bars but suspended the sentence for two years.

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