Cheque fraudster stole from nursery

A 38-year-old man today admitted stealing a cheque book from a nursery school and racking up more than $1,200.

Joeshon Russell also pleaded guilty to stealing a second cheque book from a woman's home and taking more than $600 from her account.

Russell broke into St John’s Pre-school in March, took a cheque book and then proceeded to write and cash a series of false cheques.

He pleaded guilty to 13 charges at Magistrates Court relating to the St John’s Preschool break-in.

Crown counsel Loxly Ricketts told the court Andrea Curtis was doing administrative work at the school and went to locate the cheque books.

When she noticed they were missing, she called Butterfield Bank to get a stop put on the account. She then called police.

After speaking with the bank on March 26, Ms Curtis found out a cheque had been cashed in the name of Joeshon Russell for $250 at the Money Shop.

Another cheque was cashed at Butterfield Bank on March 28 for $450 and another for $270. The final cheque was for $350.

Russell was arrested and interviewed on April 1 where he admitted entering the school, taking the cheque book and then writing false checks.

In the second incident the court heard Lisa Teceira was doing online banking when she noticed a discrepancy regarding a check for $643. Ms Teceira then called the bank and was told the cheque was cashed at Money Gram.

Ms Teceira then got a copy of the cheque from Money Gram and saw that it was written out to Russell with a false signature of her name. In the memo portion of the check, it said “building materials”.

The court heard Ms Teceira never signed the cheque and doesn’t know Russell.

Russell was arrested for this matter on March 30 and interviewed. He admitted going into Ms Teceira’s house through the back door and taking the cheque.

He then admitted he went to Money Gram and cashed the cheque using his passport.

The matter was adjourned to April 17 and Russell was remanded into custody.