St Mary man allegedly used dating apps to lure, rob women

ST MARY, Jamaica — A man accused of using dating applications to lure and rob women has been convicted on ammunition charges in the St Mary Parish Court, while 12 other criminal cases, including rape, robbery and firearm offences, remain pending against him.

Demoy Pennington, a 41-year-old bar operator from Gordon Hall, Epsom, St Mary, was the subject of an islandwide manhunt before his capture on June 24 in St Mary.

Pennington, who has previous convictions, including for grievous sexual assault, is accused of impersonating well-known personalities, including police officers, to deceive women he reportedly met through dating applications.

Investigating officer Dr Jason McKay revealed that Pennington was apprehended by a joint police team after investigators from the St Catherine South Police Division tracked him to St Mary.

“It’s one case down, 12 to go,” McKay said, referring to the outstanding criminal matters.

“He probably thought he was safe in St Mary but St Catherine South has gone as far as St Thomas in the east and Hanover in the west in pursuit of parish-hopping criminals,” he added.

Pennington’s arrest followed investigations into an alleged incident on June 3 involving a woman he reportedly met through a dating application.

According to police reports, Pennington picked up the woman in Kingston, and the two travelled towards Hellshire Beach in Portmore, St Catherine.

While travelling along Port Henderson Road, Pennington allegedly stopped at a business establishment and asked the woman to purchase a bottle of water.

The woman reportedly left her handbag, containing her mobile phone, bank card and other personal belongings, inside the vehicle. However, when she returned, Pennington and the vehicle were gone.

The matter was reported to the police, and subsequent investigations reportedly revealed that $7,000 had been withdrawn from the woman’s bank account using her card.

Pennington was later positively identified during an identification parade and charged with simple larceny and unauthorised access to computer data.

He had previously been charged in connection with at least two other incidents involving the alleged robbery of women he met through dating applications.

Most of the 12 outstanding criminal cases against Pennington reportedly stem from incidents in Portmore, St Catherine.