MONTEGO BAY, St James — Judge Kaysha Grant-Pryce had words of caution for a complainant who chose not to press ahead with a case against two women after they repaid him $350,000 linked to unauthorised transactions on his bank card.

“You cannot trust them, even though you got back your money. Sir, you cannot trust them !” Judge Grant-Pryce warned.

She was referring to Tania Simms and Carliesha Dixon who appeared before her in the St James Parish Court last Wednesday. Both women were charged with conspiracy to defraud, simple larceny, unauthorised access to computer data, and possession of criminal property. Simms was additionally charged with unlawfully making data available for the commission of an offence.

The court heard that between March 23 and 30 the complainant travelled with Simms to purchase a television in Montego Bay. After the purchase he returned home and placed his bank card in a chest of drawers, in Simms’ presence.

Sometime afterward his son alerted him to suspicious transactions totalling $350,000. It was then that the complainant realised that his bank card was missing from the chest of drawers.

He subsequently reported the matter to the police and his bank.

The court was told that, sometime later, Dixon visited the complainant and told him that Simms had given her the card to withdraw the money. Dixon also told him that she would return within 45 days to repay the money. The matter was reported to the police and the two women were arrested and charged.

Dixon is the complainant’s in-law, while Simms is said to be someone who regularly visits the complainant’s home, as he has a physical challenge.

During last Wednesday’s proceedings the complainant indicated to the court that, having been repaid, he had no further interest in proceeding with the case. In light of his request the prosecution offered no evidence against the two defendants, and they walked free.