An insurance company clerk stole almost $20,000 from her employer after a drug dealer assaulted her twice and threatened her eight-year-old daughter over a cocaine debt from more than ten years ago.

Natasha Yvonne Saltus, 26, of Tribe Road No. 2, Warwick, told Magistrates' Court yesterday that she accumulated the debt when she was between 13 and 15 years old and the dealer had begun threatening her and her child.

Principal Crown counsel Anthony Blackman told Acting Senior Magistrate Carlisle Greaves that Saltus, a personal insurance representative clerk, stole $19,342.79 from Colonial Insurance between June 7, 2002 and January 21, 2003.

He said Saltus received customer premium payments and was responsible for recording them. After issuing a customer receipt, she kept the money on 15 occasions for her personal use.

In December, 2002, a customer questioned why his insurance payment had not been recorded and the Police were called in to investigate.

Saltus told Mr. Greaves that she stole the money to pay off the cocaine debt. She said the man she owed money to had threatened her eight-year-old daughter, forcing her to try to repay him any way she could. Mr. Greaves asked Saltus why she did not go to the Police instead of stealing from her employer. She replied she had after twice being assaulted by the man but all that happened was she was referred to a women's centre.

Mr. Greaves told Saltus that embezzlement charges of this size often resulted in prison sentences and again said that she could have gone to Police. He ordered a social inquiry report on Saltus and ordered her to re-appear in court on July 17. Bail was set at $10,000.

Cruise ship passengers fined

Government revenues were bolstered by an additional $6,000 yesterday when six cruise ship passengers were fined in Magistrates' Court.

Acting Senior Magistrate Carlisle Greaves invited the US visitors to pay a $1,000 fine or to spend a free 90-day stay at the "five star" Westgate correctional facility or at Ferry Reach - "the other beach house" - on charges of the importation of cannabis after they pleaded guilty.

The six passengers raised the total of cruise ship passengers appearing on drug importation charges since May to 62.

Police dogs detected various amounts of drugs while searching a cruise ship on last Tuesday.

Steven Altamor, 43, concealed the 7.07 grams of cannabis in a small blue make-up kit.

Christopher Beaudoin, 44, possessed 5.11 grams of cannabis. After Beaudoin pleaded guilty Mr. Greaves commented, "Same charges... same ship."

Anthony Leavy, 23, hid his 2.73 grams in a top dresser drawer of his cabin.

Wayne Marino, 34, stashed 12.94 grams of cannabis in a small black duffel bag found in his cabin.

William Janusz, 35, left 1.67 grams of cannabis in black pair of pants which Police officers found lying on the floor of his cabin.

Dorothy Tellefsen, 47, possessed 10 home-made cigarettes containing 4.15 grams of cannabis.

Tellefsen, the only female charged, was the only passenger to apologise and address the court when Mr. Greaves asked the passengers if they had anything to say.

"I'd just like to say I'm sorry," she said.

Warwick man denies assault

A 23-year-old man yesterday denied calling a Police officer a "pussy faggot" on Sunday.

Ellsworth McNeil Smith, of Whale View Lane, Warwick, was charged in Magistrates' Court with assaulting a Police officer and a Reserve officer, using offensive words and violently resisting arrest outside of Ice Queen in Paget.

He will appear in court on July 25 for trial. He was released on $1,000 bail.