Convicted man to pay High Court $30 000 for having illegal weapon

Glebe Land, St George resident Chad Antonio Denero Forde was on Tuesday fined $30 000 for having a loaded firearm while in public without the necessary licence to do so.

Of that amount Forde had to immediately pay the High Court $10 000. He must pay another $5 000 by December 31 and the balance by June 30, 2022.

Madam Justice Laurie-Ann Smith-Bovell handed down the sentence today. Forde had pleaded guilty to the January 30, 2019 charges of possession of a .32 revolver without a valid licence and having six rounds of ammunition with a permit.

Failure to pay the fine will result in the offender, who had spent 70 days on remand, spending a further four years, 173 days at Dodds – the remainder of an eight-year starting sentence imposed as the alternative to the fine.

The court previously heard from Crown Counsel Kevin Forde, that police officers were on mobile patrol along Glebe Land, St George travelling in the direction of Charles Rowe Bridge, when they observed a group of about six people running from inside and around a shop and to the back. They drove past the area and turned left unto No. 1 Glebe Land and as they did so, saw Forde running and clutching the front of his waist.

When he spotted the cops he immediately changed direction causing police to pursue. During the chase, lawmen observed Forde throw a brown-coloured firearm to his left. He was eventually apprehended.

Police took him back to the area where he tossed the firearm, told him of their observation and asked him to account for the weapon.

Forde told the police: “I ain’t know nothing bout that,” the court heard. The gun contained six rounds of ammunition which he was also asked to account for and again Forde replied: “I told you I don’t know nothing bout that.”

In handing down the sentence in the No. 4 Supreme Court Justice Smith-Bovell pointed out the aggravating and mitigating factors of the offence.

Among the aggravating factors was the fact that the weapon was loaded and in a public place and Forde attempted to flee from police and dispose of the firearm.

Going in his favour was, among other things, his guilty plea and expressions of remorse.

After taking all the factors of the case into consideration the High Court judge imposed a $25 000 fine for the possession of the gun and $5 000 for the ammunition.

Apart from the $5 000 which must be paid by the end of the year the convicted man – who was represented by attorney Arthur Holder – was informed that he could pay the balance of the fine in installments to the court.