Senior Parish Judge Judith Pusey was on Friday stunned by allegations that a man went to the University Hospital of the West Indies in St Andrew, stole a lung-testing machine and attempted to sell it to a private doctor.

The court heard that on March 14, Raymond Campbell went to the hospital and stole a desktop spirometer diagnostic machine, went to a doctor’s office on Ripon Road, St Andrew, and tried to sell the machine which costs about $300,000.

However, the police were alerted and he was arrested and charged with simple larceny.

“I can’t believe this,” the judge said after hearing the allegations.

But Attorney-at-Law Jacqueline Asher, who is representing Campbell, denied the allegations.

She also sought bail for her client while pointing out that he was the father of two children and that his children were currently in the care of a doctor, whom her client works with occasionally.

The doctor in question was also present in court and told Judge Pusey that she was assisting Campbell, as she did not want his children to be placed in State care and was hoping that he would be offered bail.

But the prosecution told the judge that Campbell was offered station bail when he was arrested but did not make himself available to the police, even though he knew that they were looking for him.

As a result, Judge Pusey told the doctor that she would have to continue assisting him because she could not offer him bail at this time, despite the situation with his children.

“I can’t be concerned about that with knowledge of allegations that he kept himself away from the police,” the judge said before remanding Campbell in custody.

He is to return to court on September 8.