Man, 21, placed on probation for cannabis offences

A 21-year-old St George man who told the court he smoked more than five joints of marijuana per day has been placed on one year’s probation after pleading guilty to drug charges, including intent to supply cannabis.

 

Confessing to having, trafficking and intending to supply 116 grammes of cannabis on April 8, Zachary Tyrese Nurse of Constant, St George was reprimanded and discharged for the first two offences. Acting Chief Magistrate Douglas Frederick opted to place him under supervision for the charge of intent to supply.

 

The court heard that police were on patrol along Nelson Street on Wednesday when the strong scent of marijuana led them to a parked van with two occupants. They told the two of their suspicions and conducted a search during which one transparent bag with the drug was found between the front seats and another in the centre console. Nurse was the passenger and claimed both as his.

 

The drugs had a street value of $580.

 

Defence attorney Faith Greaves noted her client’s clean record, his cooperation with police and his early guilty plea, and urged that he be given community service, saying: “This should not result in a conviction as he should be given the opportunity to turn himself around.”

 

Asked by the magistrate as to his reasons for smoking, Nurse said it calmed him and admitted that he spent $50 a day purchasing the drug.

 

“Do you know how much money you could save? I believe you need to get some help in quitting,” Frederick stated.

 

He also ordered that Nurse stay away from Nelson Street and adjourned the case until July 30.

 

(JB)