Tashieka Mair, Gleaner Writer

WESTERN BUREAU:

A convicted con man, who is now facing seven counts of fraudulently obtaining goods and services, has asked for the intervention of the Montego Bay Resident Magistrate's Court to assist him in kicking his habit.

Horace Haughton, of Catherine Hall in Montego Bay, St. James, told the court on Monday that there was no rehabilitation system in the Jamaican prisons to assist him.

Serious problem

"I have indicated to you that I have a serious problem and I was hoping that the court could assist me in terms of getting counselling," he told RM Winsome Henry.

Haughton's police record shows that he has a history of convictions for at least 44 similar offences and was released from prison in August last year. This was after he served time for three counts of uttering forged documents and obtaining money by false pretence.

In 1998, he was placed on probation for four counts of obtaining money by false pretence but found himself in trouble again in 1999 when he was charged with 13 counts of a similar offence and, in 2003, he was charged with 24 counts.

RM Henry ordered a social enquiry report and asked that the probation office ascertain whether there were any sort of rehabilitation programmes in place at the prisons.

Haughton is scheduled for sentencing on February 11.

Allegations are that, between October 5 and September 29, Haughton issued RBTT Bank cheques to seven complainants, totalling $381,194.75, for goods and services, including televisions, a refrigerator, hotel accommodation and office equipment.

The complainants would later discover that Haughton's account was closed but Haughton disappeared after receiving the items.