Family tensions spill out in court after theft of ATM card

There was family drama in Magistrates’ Court this morning as a 23-year-old man was sentenced for stealing his girlfriend’s father’s ATM card to buy diapers for their son.

Leroy Henderson had pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to taking the card out of Winston Godwin’s Sandy’s home and withdrawing $500 at a nearby ATM.

At the first hearing in March, Henderson told the court he took the money to buy necessities for his 12-month old son.

But Mr Godwin, who appeared in court that day, said he and his wife have provided everything for the child.

At today’s hearing, duty counsel Simone Bean requested a conditional discharge for Henderson.

She told the court he has found a job and is making an effort to pay for his son.

Addressing the court, Henderson said: “Her father’s never provided for my son. He’s never bought him food or diapers or anything.”

Henderson also apologised for his actions and said he had tried to repay Mr Godwin but he didn’t want his money.

Karen Godwin, the complainant’s daughter, also addressed the court and said her father lied at the last hearing.

She said: “He told me that he wouldn’t provide for my son.

“For the first nine months, he called my son ‘it’ and ‘boy’ and ‘fat boy’. He wouldn’t call him by his first name and he refused to call him his grandson.

“My father is a pathological liar. He says he bought him diapers and wipes.

“For Christmas, he only bought him a $10 toy.”

Mr Warner then interrupted Ms Godwin and said: “I don’t mean to be crude, but did your father impregnate you?”

She answered “no”.

“Did he lie about this defendant stealing his money?”

Ms Godwin said “no” again.

Mr Warner continued: “Exactly — that’s all I’m interested in.

“There is conflict in the family about this whole situation.

“It seems this young lady expects her father to support the child.”

Crown counsel Carrington Mahoney then questioned if Henderson was remorseful: “It’s almost as if he’s saying ‘yes I stole, but I was justified in stealing’.

“Is that truly remorseful?”

Mr Warner eventually gave Henderson a conditional discharge with the conditions that he repay Mr Godwin within a year and be assessed for any life skills programmes deemed necessary.