Spanish Town woman fined $300,000 for $15,000 bribe attempt at traffic stop

A Spanish Town woman who offered a police officer $15,000 to keep her son from facing prosecution has been hit with a $300,000 fine, with 30 days in prison the alternative if she fails to pay.

Hayden Hanson, 45, of St. Catherine, pleaded guilty in parish court on Friday to attempted bribery. She told the court she believed the officer had engineered the encounter, saying: "It is he who sent to me for the money. That's a setup."

Her lawyer, Antoinette Winter Meade Knot, asked the judge for leniency. She said Hanson had been under heavy stress from not seeing her son for more than a year and had made a serious lapse in judgment. Counsel also pointed out that Hanson did not prolong proceedings by entering a guilty plea.

The attorney successfully argued that Hanson's fingerprints should not be taken and that no conviction should be recorded. The judge nevertheless made clear that handing money to police while they were carrying out their duties was wrong. Hanson was fined and later thanked the court for its mercy.

The facts before the court show that on 14 June 2026 Hanson was a passenger in a vehicle her son was driving when police stopped it over a traffic breach. During the stop she reportedly told the officer, "I can give you $15,000, no," before trying to pass over the cash. She was arrested and charged with attempted bribery.

Separately, government and opposition figures have paid tribute to decorated track and field coach Stephen Francis following his death in hospital late Saturday, a day after he celebrated his 64th birthday.

Prime Minister Andrew Holness, in a post on X, described Francis as a patriot whose decision to leave finance for coaching helped shape one of the sport's greatest legacies and strengthened Brand Jamaica through the athletes he guided. Holness noted that Francis received the Order of Jamaica in 2017 for his outstanding contribution to sport.

Sports Minister Olivia Grange said Francis was a unique figure who used his talents to bring glory to Jamaica and improve the lives of countless athletes. She highlighted his pioneering role in forming the MVP Track Club and extended condolences to his brother Paul, friends, colleagues including Bruce James, and the wider MVP team.

The People's National Party said Jamaica had lost a coach whose decades of work helped establish the country as a dominant force in world athletics. Opposition spokesperson on sport Wavell Hinds called Francis one of the principal architects of that rise, saying: "Coach Stephen Francis leaves behind a legacy that a few can match. His commitment to excellence, his relentless pursuit of high standards, and his confidence in Jamaican talent transformed not only individual athletes but the entire landscape of track and the field in our country."

The PNP extended condolences to Francis's family, MVP Track Club, the wider athletics fraternity, and all Jamaicans mourning what it described as a tremendous loss.