“Please, Your Honour, give me a chance… I don’t want to go back to jail,” was Jermaine Bingham’s plea as he wept loudly in the St James Parish Court on Monday after being accused of stealing $28,000 from a woman.

Bingham, 31, who pleaded not guilty to simple larceny, begged trial judge Sasha-Marie Smith–Ashley for leniency while he was being led away from the prisoners’ doc to the holding area. He will remain in custody until sentencing.

During Monday’s hearing, the complainant testified that she arrived home from work about 6:30 pm on April 13 and parked her car at her gate. According to her, she exited the vehicle, removed some items from the car and took them inside her house. She returned to the car to find the front door open and someone in the front passenger seat, whom she recognised as “Junior Red”.

She stated that she has known him since she was seven-years-old, and knew him by his correct name, Jermaine Bingham, before identifying him in court.

The complainant further testified that when she asked him what he was doing inside her car, he apologised and said he didn’t realise it was her car. He then walked away.

She claimed that it wasn’t until she took the remainder of her belongings from the car and examined her handbag that she realised the $28,000 that she had withdrawn from the bank shortly before had gone missing.

According to her, she reported the incident to the authorities. They went in search of the accused, who was apprehended the next day after she spotted him and called the cops.

In analysing the evidence, Smith-Ashley indicated that identification was not an issue and that she accepts the complainant’s account that she withdrew the money and did not lose sight of it until she took some of the items out of the car and returned to it.

“I accept and I’m satisfied beyond a reasonable doubt that the money was in her handbag up to the point when the accused was in the car and that the money went missing at the time when he was in the car,” the judge said before declaring a guilty verdict.

Smith-Ashley asked Bingham if he wanted to say anything, and he opted not to. He asserted, however, that he did not take the money and that he intended to repay the complainant.

The judge then requested a social enquiry report and postponed sentencing until July 25.

At that point, Bingham argued that he was not guilty, and the judge explained to him that the report would help her impose an appropriate sentence.

The idea of returning to the cells did not sit well with Bingham, so he began to cry very loudly in court, pleading with the judge not to send him back to the cells.

“Please, Your Honour, I beg you… give me a chance. I don’t want to go back to jail… I can’t handle it any longer… I don’t have anyone to give me food… Please, I beg you. I want to go back to my yard. I have things to go and take care of… I’m begging you, please give me a chance,” he pleaded.

“Let the system run its course,” the judge told Bingham who sobbed even harder as a lawman led him to the holding area.