Court: Man Pleads Guilty To Smashing ATM
This morning [Apr.16] in Magistrates Court, 32-year-old Paul Clarence Williams pleaded guilty to smashing an HSBC cash machine at White’s Supermarket on Middle Road in Warwick, with Mr Williams saying he did it as the ATM took his card.
The action happened 3:40am on Sunday 8th April 2012 and was recorded on the machine’s CCTV camera system. Police arrested Mr Williams on 12th April after reviewing the footage.
The prosecutor told Senior Magistrate Archie Warner that Mr Williams had gotten a metal bar and had used that to smash the ATM’s screen, rendering the machine useless and causing $15,000 worth of damage as stated by HSBC.
Senior Magistrate Archie Warner asked Mr Williams if he had anything to say and Mr Williams replied: “I am a mental patient. I was really hungry and it took my card.”
Questioned more closely by the Magistrate, Mr Williams admitted that he might have put a Butterfield bankcard into the HSBC machine.
Before sentencing, Duty Counsel Leopold Mills told the Magistrate that Mr Williams had a long history at MAWI and with the Courts.
The Senior Magistrate agreed with Mr Mills’ observation and ordered that Mr Williams should be remanded into custody under Section 33 of the Mental Health Act. Mr Williams was also ordered to re-appear on 16th May so that his case can be disposed of.
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I hope he gets the help he needs. Glad it was the machine he took his anger out on not another person.
Making the run!
50 cent straight to the bank.
I’m laughing straight to the bank with this (HA HA HA HA)
3:40 am, if this guy is mentally unstable he should be on lock diwn or at minimum have atracking braclet, so if he leaves the property he can be picked up and jailed.
Can’t believe Archie Warner bought his excuse, he needs to be punished to the fullest extent, $15,000 worth of damage and just return to have his case disposed of (only in Bermuda)Don’t dispute that he probably needs help, but he also needs to be taught a lesson, what can he learn in 30 days?
This justice system is a joke (too many standards)
@ SMH: It is entirely appropriate for the Magistrate to get a mental health report before sentencing. I have known several people who are schizophrenic and who do not need to be in Westgate where they are bullied, ridiculed and worse. A custodial sentence in a mental health facility may be more appropriate, or not. The magistrate needs all the facts before sentencing.
@Pastor Syl, I said what I said because it clearly states that when he returns on May 16, 2012 his case will be disposed of report or no report. Many people use this mental history as an excuse to get off. I believe he knew exactly what he was doing
$15,000.00 may be a substantial sum to the average working person but the Bank made that in interest in 0.04 seconds of the damage occurring and that is just on it’s Bermuda Business so what,.. lock him up and throw away the key ? Let’s cut the average person a bit of slack cause the bank will Jack you too if your a day late or a dollar short….Shake Ya head at that!
Even if he did put a Butterfield card into an HSBC machine it still should have given him the cash if he entered the right pin number. Doesn’t the magistrate know that you can use any card in any machine-that it doesn’t have to be the bank that issued the card? He was probably entering the wrong pin number over and over or pressing incorrect buttons for it to suck the card in and keep it.
It was probably frustrating but smashing it with a metal bar is a bit much. I’ve been tempted to smash a few machines myself-thank goodness for self-control. What if it had been a person who made him mad…would he have taken a metal bar to them, too? It’s scary how many simmering volcanoes we have walking around just waiting for something to make them blow.
Pompous. For the record the term is just PIN not PIN number. PIN stands for Personal Identity Number. So you’re actually repeating yourself. The same applies to people who say ATM machine and VIN number. Thus ends today’s lesson.
Uh-excuse me but save the condescending, superior attitude for someone else. I’ve worked in two banks and I know what PIN stands for, thank you. I realized it after I typed it but I figured people would know what I mean…it’s a habit and figure of speech. How many people, including teachers-refer to a CAT test, even though the word test is already in the acronym CAT? How many people say ‘two twins’ when the words twin already denotes two?
As you’ve pointed out in your other illustrations, people get into the habit of saying things-SO WHAT? You’re clearly one of those anal people who gets a kick out of constantly correcting people. I’d hate to hang around a Type A person like you…you must be a joy. I’m sure you just have TONS of friends, don’t you? I’ve heard they need help solving world hunger…why don’t you give the World Food Bank a call-I’m sure they’ll appreciate the insight from such a mentally superior person such as yourself.
Here’s my today’s lesson for you: GET A LIFE.
BTW-I just reread your comment whilst checking back to see if mine had posted and noticed something.
PIN stands for Personal IDENTIFICATION Number-not ‘identity’ number. You’re being smug and being incorrect in the process.
Get your facts straight before correcting others or you will end up looking like the idiot that you are.
As we like to say in Bermuda, you are loud, strong and WRONG!
@MUFC Almost everyone, including bank employees call it a “PIN number”. You don’t have to attempt to “school” anyone because people know what PIN stands for, thanks for stating the obvious. You don’t have to act like a pretentious prick who knows something the rest of us don’t. “PIN” was invented to meet the objection that a “password” consisting of nothing but numbers is not a word. Pronouncing each letter of the acronym as “P-I-N” blunts its efficiency. Saying just “PIN” reminds us of another common English word, though few people are likely to think when they are told to “enter PIN” that they should shove a steel pin into the machine they are operating. In writing, anyway,“PIN” is unambiguous and is better used without the redundant “number.” Even so in everyday speech and in writing “PIN number” is commonly used and accepted. It’s just one of those things people won’t stop saying. Class is dismissed.
You are being very petty
Really MUFC? You dismiss a valid post and focus on the fact that someone calls a PIN a PIN number. I’d wager that 99.9% of people use that term. In fact when I’ve been in to my Bank to collect a new card, the staff have asked me to enter my “PIN number” and that’s bank employees! Sure, that term isn’t technically correct but it’s frequently used and accepted just the same as ATM machine as you’ve pointed out.
Folks like you annoy me to death. Are you the Bernews comment police or something? Posters like you seem to love when people trip up so you can point out their mistakes, but who’s pointing out yours? PIN stands for Personal Identification Number or Personal I.D. Number but not Identity number so maybe you need to sit in the classroom a bit longer before posting information that is blatantly incorrect!
The article makes no mention of whether the accused had his card returned to him or not, which would have been tangible evidence in this case. The man does sound like he needs help. And furthermore it seems like these guys, repeat offenders and career criminals and some of these gang members, are well-versed in how to play the system, coming court w/ a game plan, and when applying for parole, which makes mockery of our judicial system. ATI..MAWI..
Case will get Disposed off.
WTF BERMUDA .. I put 90 % of blame on Bermuda’s Judicial System for the outburst of criminal activity. For Instance. You make a big deal out of a lady using a I POD while Driving , but dispose of a case like this?? It makes you laugh man .its not even funny , but are you serious? It’s not even worth blogging about. I don’t know why I am , cuz nothing will change..
What’s more incorrect? Personal Identity Number or PIN number. I rest my case!
Sorry MUFC but gotta disagree here. MOST if not all people call a PIN a PIN number.It may be wrong but it’s one of those funny little things that we do, same as calling the ATM the ATM machine. It’s a habit more than anything. YOU are more incorrect because you’ve used a totally wrong word instead of repeating a word already used.
I agree that’s it scary about the ticking timebombs walking around.
@MUFC: Shut up and get back under your bridge-I heard a billygoat is headed your way,TROLL.
I agree-why doesn’t HSBC get with it and get the ATM machines-oops, I mean ATM’s, don’t want to set MUFC off-that allow you to slide the card in and back out before your transaction?! There’s no chance of the machine keeping it or the user forgetting it, which does occasionally happen.
This guy sounds like it doesn’t take much to set him off-if it wasn’t this it would have been something else-but at least the ATM would have survived to see another day.
You just mad because you felt important thinking you know something the rest of us don’t and then YOU ended up looking the fool. Joke’s on you. Don’t try to correct someone when you yourself are wrong! Try again.
Can we try to call a truce and be civil? There is enough fighting going on.
Maybe HSBC should get up to the time and invest in the machines where u insert your card and pull it out like the BNTB machines you hardly find ATM machines these days that suck your card in even in the US
As I approached the machine, my mouth dropped to the floor. I couldnt believe what I saw!! Shattered plexiglass shavings all over the screen and floor, one large gapping hole in the right hand corner.. WTH!! People have really gone mad and really do not care about the next person behind them. I snapped a great pic of the machine and posted it to my FB fans.. Like the readers said the judge bought his lame “A” excuse, that’s why the justice system here is the way it is…Save our souls!!
1) “Disposed of” means a sentence will be imposed, whether in Westgate, MAWI or some form of drug treatment overseas – who knows. It doesn’t mean the charges will be dropped.
2) I’m betting with myself that the card he inserted was not his own, which was why the ATM machine wouldn’t accept the PIN number *tongue in cheek*, and kept the card. His behaviour is reminiscent of the kind of rage I’ve seen exhibited by crack addicts when they can’t access the funds for their ‘fix’ (normally applied to the brew cooked-up by a heroin addict, but now in common usage for most illicit drugs), especially if they’ve stolen the card, or they’ve bought it off the ‘gray’ market.
This guy was at a ATM 3AM in the morning. The only option for food (considering his location) i’m seeing is Ice Queen… which has both a Butterfield and HSBC machine. There is lying amongst his words.