Barbara Gayle, Staff Reporter
A MAN, who went to a car mart and stole a motor car under the pretext that he was going to test drive it before he paid for it, has been jailed for two-and-a-half years.
He is Earl Johnson, 27, electrician, of Pleasant Hill, Bog Walk, St. Catherine.
Resident Magistrate Evan Brown convicted Johnson of larceny by trick and sentenced him in January this year.
Johnson appealed against his conviction and sentence but last Thursday the Court of Appeal threw out his appeal.
On May 27 last year, Johnson went to the Cars-to-Go car mart in Montego Bay. He expressed an interest to purchase a Toyota Caldina motor car and was told the price was $1.1 million.
He was permitted to test drive the motor car and an employee went with him. When he reached a certain area, he told the employee that he was going to get the money for the car so the employee should get out of the car and wait until he returned.
Johnson did not return and a report was made to the police. On September 3, 2005, the police saw Johnson driving the motor car in Lacovia, St. Elizabeth, and he was arrested and charged.
After he was convicted, he admitted one previous conviction for obtaining goods by forged document.
