AN 18-year-old male student, accused of stealing more than $80,000 using a debit card owned by his teacher’s spouse, wept in the St James Parish Court on Wednesday after learning that his aunt had suffered a minor stroke when she received news of the allegation against him.

Clinton Johnson appeared before presiding judge Natiesha Fairclough-Hylton, charged with simple larceny.

The court was told that the complainant’s debit card was in the possession of his spouse, who is employed as a teacher at an institution where Johnson is enrolled.

According to court records, the debit card holder filed a complaint with the Area One Fraud Squad, claiming that his attempt to use the debit card on February 21 was unsuccessful due to a decline in the transaction.

Subsequent enquiries at the financial institution revealed that the complainant’s account had a balance of only $98, which was significantly lower than the initial amount of $83,000.

An investigation revealed that Johnson had used the card to make a series of transactions on a gaming website, resulting in charges totalling more than $80,000.

Following the complainant’s report, Johnson was arrested and charged.

After the allegations were outlined, Fairclough-Hylton sought to find out from Johnson how he obtained access to the card.

He told the court that he noticed the debit card on the teacher’s desk and picked it up during a recess period.

Following that the judge told Johnson that the court had been made aware that his aunt, with whom he lives, experienced a minor stroke on hearing about the incident.

Johnson immediately broke down in tears and maintained a sorrowful expression as the judge admonished him and offered him stern guidance.

The judge also sought feedback from the defendant’s teacher who said she was convinced that his aunt had made a significant effort and provided him with adequate support.

Subsequently, the parties were directed to engage in a session with a mediator who was present in the courtroom.

Following successful mediation, the prosecution decided to offer no evidence against Johnson and he was discharged.

However, the judge ordered the teenager to return to court on November 15 with evidence demonstrating his commitment to constructive activities, such as gainful employment or a good academic record.