Canadian jailed for 14 month on robbery, smuggling charges
A YOUNG Canadian man had his jail sentence reduced to 14 months by the Court of First Instance after confessing to robbing a bank in Singapore and fleeing to Thailand with the cash, Matichon newspaper said today (June 6).
David James Roach, 38, was charged with failing to complying with ministerial regulations and Finance Ministry announcements, bringing items into Thailand without customs clearance and money laundering after having robbed Standard Chartered Bank, Holland Village branch in Singapore, of 30,450 Singapore dollar or around 800,000 baht and fleeing to Thailand.
He was arrested by Phayathai police together with the money at a hotel in this area on July 10, 2016.
As the defendant confessed the court reduced the 1 year jail term for money laundering, 4 months for violating money exchange regulations and 1 year for evading customs clearance, a total of 2 years and 4 months, to 14 months and ordered that the money be seized.
However the defendant said that he only confessed to smuggling foreign currency into the country and never admitted to robbing money in other country and is discussing with his relatives whether to fight the case in higher courts.
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Top: David James Roach being led to jail this morning. Photo: Matichon