Bank theft case delayed over legal troubles

Cayman Islands courthouse, George Town

(CNS): A former assistant manager with Cayman National Bank who has been charged with stealing some $25,000 from customers and the bank with a variety of deceptions has still not answered the 29 charges against him relating to the theft, after his case was adjourned for the second time this month without progress as he no longer has a lawyer. Dale Antonio Allen, from George Town, has pleaded guilty to just one count of false accounting but he has not formally admitted the remaining offences in court, though following his arrest he confessed to the police.

Allen was due to answer charges of obtaining property by deception and money laundering allegations, and based on expectations he would plead guilty, he was due to be sentenced. The court has already indicated that he is facing a custodial sentence of up to three years.

But when he appeared unrepresented, the magistrate allowed another adjournment so that Allen could apply for legal aid because he has no money to pay his attorney’s bills.

The one-time bank employee was caught when the bank reviewed a customer’s mortgage account and found $2,000 was missing. At first Allen lied to cover his tracks, but when more than a dozen more possible fraud and thefts came to light, he was arrested and made a full admission.

Allen was bailed to return on 5 September.