St Philip man ‘takes risk’ on herb law, loses

Convinced of the eventual decriminalisation of marijuana, a St Philip man found himself before the Law for trying to get ahead of it, pleading guilty to growing cannabis.

When police arrived at Andre Eckeron Clarke’s Rock Hall home on July 15, they discovered four marijuana plants growing in buckets, ranging one to two feet in height.

The 40-year-old general worker wasted no time in pleading guilty to cultivation, possession, possession with intent to supply and possession with intent to traffic the 25 grammes of the illegal drug.

Clarke, a first-time offender, told Chief Magistrate Christopher Birch that he may be “a little fast” but he believed that cannabis would be legalised in the country. He said, “I took a risk”.

After listening to Clarke in the District ‘C’ Magistrate’s Court, Birch sentenced Clarke to 18 months probation.

If he breaches the sentence he will have to pay a $1,000 fine of spend 28 days in prison.

No conviction will be recorded against him if he completes his probation.